Madras HC refuses advance bail to ACP

The abscondence of the petitioner, all along, though being a senior police officer, disclosed his intention and if he was released on bail, he might not be available for investigation and trial, the judge observed.

A suspended Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) attached to a police station here, who was absconding ever since a case had been registered against him for offences under various sections of the IPC and the TN Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act and feared arrest, was refused anticipatory bail by the Madras High Court. ''Taking note of the averments made in the FIR and the conduct of the petitioner, this Court is not inclined to entertain this anticipatory bail petition (from Sivakumar),'' Justice G Jayachandran observed recently.

The charge against Sivakumar was that while working as ACP in 2019, he had actively assisted one Venkatesh from the city in a cheating and land grabbing case involving Rs. 20 crore, belonging to one Venkata Siva Naga Kumar. The other accused included the inspector, SI and other cops attached to Thirumangalam police station. When the matter came up on April 12, Sivakumar's senior counsel told the judge that the investigation was over and the complainant (Venkatesh) and the prime accused had arrived at a settlement and the offending documents were cancelled and a joint compromise memo was filed before the court in the quash proceedings initiated by the other accused. Hence, his custodial interrogation is not necessary, he added. Turning down the plea, the judge pointed out that the complainant had made specific allegations against the ACP regarding his excess and highhandedness. The proposed joint compromise between the private party would not exonerate the alleged excessive force and abuse of power alleged to have been committed by the petitioner. The abscondence of the petitioner, all along, though being a senior police officer, disclosed his intention and if he was released on bail, he might not be available for investigation and trial, the judge observed.