Law & Justice
Allahabad High Court Orders Release of Bijnor Man Detained by UP Police
The Allahabad High Court, in a November 3 order, granted a habeas corpus petition and ordered the release of Aausad Ahmad, a resident of Bijnor, after finding that the Uttar Pradesh Police had unlawfully detained him. The bench, consisting of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Achal Sachdev, criticized the police for ignoring fundamental rights and civil liberties. It directed that Ahmad be set free immediately if he is not wanted in any other case and ordered the state to pay him Rs 20,000 in costs within seven days.
According to Ahmad’s daughter, the Bijnor police took him into custody on September 5, 2026, but his formal arrest was recorded only on September 7, 2026. She alleged that police officers and SOG officials in civilian dress forcibly removed him from outside the Nangal police station after being called in connection with a honey‑trap case. The family claimed that when they arrived at the station around 2:30 PM on September 5, a vehicle entered the premises, four people emerged, surrounded their car, and took Ahmad away.
The court had earlier asked the police to provide CCTV footage from September 5, 2026, at 1 PM to September 7, 2026, at 10 AM. The state replied that the footage was unavailable, citing a thunderstorm that had caused water to leak into the CCTV system and render it inoperable. The court noted that such explanations were frequently used whenever CCTV footage was requested and ruled that a malfunction could not justify unlawful detention. It also observed that the SHO of Nangal, Anoo Kumari, had deliberately withheld relevant footage and directed that this conduct be entered into her service record, questioning her suitability for the post.
The court’s order highlights concerns over repeated instances of unlawful detention and the lack of accountability within the Uttar Pradesh Police. The state is required to comply with the release order and the payment of costs within the specified timeframe.