SC slams UP cop for defying orders, threatening SC and HC
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The Supreme Court strongly criticised the Station House Officer (SHO) of Kandhai Police Station in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, for openly defying its orders by arresting and assaulting a petitioner despite clear judicial protection, Live Law reported. The SHO, Gulaab Singh Sonkar, allegedly went so far as to threaten that he would “not obey any Supreme Court order” and claimed he could “get the entire High Court and Supreme Court removed.”
A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria was hearing a contempt plea which alleged that, despite a protection order issued on March 28, 2025, the petitioner was forcibly taken from his workplace, arrested, and physically assaulted on April 23, 2025. The complaint further stated that even when shown a copy of the Supreme Court’s directive, the SHO verbally abused the petitioner in Hindi and refused to comply, displaying utter disregard for judicial authority, Maktoob Media reported.
Earlier, the apex court had instructed the Uttar Pradesh Home Department to investigate the incident through a senior officer not below the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). The inquiry report later confirmed that there had been a willful violation of the Court’s order.
Expressing strong disapproval, the bench observed that the officer could not be permitted to “pollute the stream of justice under the guise of a police uniform.” It noted that there was *prima facie* evidence of deliberate defiance that must be “dealt with iron hands.”
Although the Court considered passing a stringent order against the SHO, it decided to grant the State some time after the Additional Advocate General (AAG), representing the Home Department, assured that immediate action would be taken in response to the inquiry findings.
The bench accepted the request and directed the State to report on the developments at the next hearing, scheduled for November 7, 2025. The order recorded that the State Government would “act immediately” based on the inquiry report and update the Court on the action taken by the next date.