Supreme Court raps Pune cops for presser on activists' arrest

New Delhi: On Thursday a three judge bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud at the outset pulled up the Pune police for briefing the media about the arrests of five rights activists — who were taken into custody by the Maharashtra police in connection with the Bima Koregaon violence.   Justice Chandrachud in particular took exception to the Pune Police for making insinuations against the Supreme Court in the case relating to the arrests. 

The judge expressing his anguish told additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta, “I watched the press briefing by the assistant commissioner, Pune, which insinuated that the Supreme Court should not have intervened at this state. He has no business saying that and casting aspersions on the Supreme Court judges...”. 

Tushar Mehta apologised to the Court for the action of the Pune police. Both Mr. Mehta and senior counsel Harish Salve questioned the locus of the petitioners and also said that the matter should not be before the Supreme Court, as it will set a wrong precedent of allowing “strangers” to come to the Court on behalf of accused persons. Senior counsel Indira Jaising urged the court that Pune Police be injuncted from going to the press and holding briefings.  She said, “Everyday they are releasing a letter. Yesterday they released a letter which was shown by a new channel.”