Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Despite clear and strict instructions from the Police Headquarters (PHQ), police personnel continue to publicly parade accused and suspects.

How rampant is this practice can be gauged from the fact that as at least 300 such incidents have been reported across the state in the last three months alone.

Ironically, the circular directing the police personnel against public parading of accused, suspects and those arrested by the police ‘under any circumstances’ was issued by Kailash Makwana the then ADG, CID.

Makwana is now the DGP of the state. Makwana, on November 26, 2020, had written to all  zonal IGs,  range DIGs, district SPs, commandants of SAF battalions and railway SPs asking them to strictly refrain from publicly parading the accused and suspects.

However, the cops are blatantly flouting the order of their top boss and despite being aware that their action is against law. The Government of India, on April 1, 2010, had issued clear guidelines banning parading of the accused or suspects in public or in front of the media. But the state police have been ignoring them.

In August 2014, the Supreme Court had stated that security agencies should stop parading accused before the media as it is an affront to the dignity of the accused, who are presumed innocent till proven guilty.

Almost six years later, on November 7, 2020 the PHQ citing the GoI guidelines and the Supreme Court direction, issued a circular making it clear that parading and presenting the accused before media was prohibited. The said instruction was reiterated in another circular dated November 20, 2020.    

TT Nagar Jan 2025

TT Nagar police arrested four notorious criminals for assaulting local shopkeepers and took out procession of the accused in the state capital on January 25. These accused had beaten up two shopkeepers in TT Nagar on January 22. Following their arrest they were publicly paraded.

Betul-Oct 2024

Three accused, arrested in connection with stabbing six people and spreading fear among the public, were paraded through the market while being taken to the court.

Gwalior March 24, 2024

Police marched five miscreants who had allegedly opened fire to terrorise people in Hazira police station area. As they were paraded, they were asked to shout at the top of their voices - ‘Apradh Karna Paap Hai’.

Quote

Data on parading of accused and suspects in public is not collected or compiled by the PHQ -Pawan Kumar Shrivastawa, ADG, CID