UP cop mistakes judge for accused in theft case, raids her house; suspended after court’s scathing rebuke
PTC Web Desk: In a shocking episode that has left the judiciary fuming and the police department red-faced, a sub-inspector in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad launched a search operation—not for a fugitive—but for a sitting judge, mistaking her for an accused in a decade-old theft case.
The bizarre blunder, described by the court as a "gross dereliction of duty," was reported when Sub-Inspector Banwarilal, entrusted with executing a proclamation order under Section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), went knocking at the residence of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Nagma Khan. Ironically, it was CJM Khan herself who had issued the proclamation—not against her—but against a long-absconding accused named Rajkumar alias Pappu.
Rajkumar had been dodging arrest for over a decade in connection with a 2012 theft case registered at Thana North Police Station. Despite several non-bailable warrants issued over the years, the accused had failed to appear in court, prompting Magistrate Khan to initiate proceedings under Section 82 CrPC to declare him a proclaimed offender.
However, instead of hunting down the real absconder, SI Banwarilal submitted a report stating that the proclamation was a non-bailable warrant (NBW) and, in a jaw-dropping clerical and procedural error, filled in Judge Khan’s name in place of the accused. He then went a step further—claiming she could not be found at her address.
The stunning oversight came to light during a routine hearing on March 23, when Magistrate Khan examined the report and found her own name listed as the accused.
“It is quite bizarre that the serving officer of the police station concerned has little to no idea of what was sent by this court, who exactly sent it, and against whom,” she observed in a strongly-worded judicial order that has since gone viral within legal circles.
Describing the mistake as “patent and grave,” Khan minced no words in slamming the officer’s lack of basic understanding. “Without giving an inch of attention to the process, he first carelessly mentions the proclamation as an NBW, and then just wrote the name of the presiding officer quite blindly,” she noted.
The judge also raised a serious concern—what if such negligence went unchecked?
“If such negligent police officials are made free to serve processes in such a blind form, escaping the consequences of their wrongs, they will run amok, thus trampling upon the precious fundamental rights to liberty of anyone per their whims and fancies,” she warned.
Taking the matter seriously, the court directed that the order be sent to top brass—including the Inspector General of Police (Agra Range), Director General of Police (Uttar Pradesh), and Superintendent of Police (Firozabad)—urging a formal inquiry and strict disciplinary action.
Reacting swiftly, Firozabad SSP Saurabh Dixit suspended Sub-Inspector Banwarilal with immediate effect pending further investigation. The court has fixed April 26, as the next date of hearing in the matter.
- PTC NEWS
