Why inform on drunk driving, Telangana High Court asks cops

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday issued notices to the Principal Secretary of TS Home department and Director General of Police to explain provisions of the law that allowed them to detain vehicles in drunk driving cases, and inform employers that their employee has been held for this offence.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Shameem Akther was dealing with a petition from one Vully Pridhvi Krishna, who told the court that the police is endangering the jobs and livelihood of people by informing their employers that they have been detained in drunk driving cases, and that this has no legal sanctity.

He also presented to the court that the police were detaining vehicles in drunken driving cases by invoking provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which does not sanction detention of vehicles for an indefinite time.

The petitioner submitted that the vehicle can be detained by the authorities if it is involved in an accident and the relevant documents are not shown. He requested the court to direct the police not to detain the vehicles in drunk and drive cases when there is a co-driver who is not under the influence of alcohol.

The petitioner also told the court that it becomes a double whammy for all those booked in drunken driving cases as they not only have to undergo the punishment imposed by the court but also undergo a thorough investigation by the organisation that employs them based on the letter sent to them by the police department. Some employees were allegedly asked to leave the organisation, the petitioner alleged.

“Even after attending the counselling with the guardians and attending the court for liability, the police are sending information without any provisions of law to the employers thereby putting the career prospects of these employees at stake...this is a categorical travesty of constitutional safeguards, abuse of legal process and statutory power," the petitioner submitted.

The court adjourned the case to July 22 when it will hear the response of the police.