HC orders police to submit plan for checking vehicles for liquor under CCTV surveillance

PATNA: Furious over thrashing of one of its advocates, Vishal Vikram Rana, and his younger brother, Utkarsh Vikram Rana, by quick mobile constables of Patna police in name of checking liquor smuggling, the Patna high court on Tuesday ordered Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj to submit a plan ensuring that no organised checking of two-wheelers and cars will be done at a place having no CCTV coverage.
The division bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and Justice Arun Kumar during Tuesday’s hearing also ordered the SSP to initiate criminal proceedings against the accused police personnel by lodging an FIR against them. They were represented before the court by senior advocate Rajendra Kumar Singh and Rajeev Kumar Singh.
Rajeev told TOI that due to thrashing, both brothers suffered fracture in their hands.
The Rana brothers were returning home located at Kankarbagh on a two-wheeler at around 8.30pm on Sunday when they were stopped by at least six to seven quick mobile constables near Tiwari Becher road for checking on name of prohibition and thrashed.
“Even after Vikram identified himself as an advocate, the constables did not listen and alleged he was a liquor smuggler,” he said.
A criminal writ petition was filed for urgent hearing before the high court on early Monday morning after which the Patna SSP was summoned. The SSP appeared before the bench at around 11am and appraised that he would undertake an inquiry.
On Tuesday, the SSP physically appeared before the bench and submitted report that one constable Rakesh Kumar was found responsible was placed under suspension and departmental proceeding were initiated against him.
However, the court unhappy with SSP’s reply asked him that the writ petition mentioned about presence of six to seven police personnel who had thrashed the high court advocate.
The SSP on Tuesday was ordered to conduct a discreet inquiry on the incident and initiate criminal proceeding against the erring police personnel. The court also ordered him to go through CCTV footages of the area where both were thrashed. The matter would again come-up for hearing on Thursday.