Cop dresses inappropriately, court lashes out

The Gujarat high court has taken note of police officials taking court proceedings lightly and looking unkempt before it. Tired with the casual approach, the court instructed the Director General of Police to address the issue and direct all its staff to appear in court in proper uniform.

The seventh division bench of Justice Abhilasha Kumari and Justice BN Karia was hearing a habeas corpus petition. Last Friday, when the petition came up for hearing, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (SC/ST cell) was accompanied by his head constable Nazbhai Ahir. The court found that the head constable was not in his proper uniform, and unkempt and slovenly.

The court found that his clothes were untidy and he was unshaven and had not bothered to comb his hair. It noted, "On the whole, he presented an untidy, scruffy and sorry picture." It was shocked because the constable was accompanying the Deputy Superintendent of Police, who had not bothered to ensure that his colleague appeared in clean clothes.

The court observed that the public prosecutor's office was instructed to take up the matter with the DG's office and with all district heads to at least ensure that officials appear in court in uniform and maintain decorum. Unfortunately, the instruction has not gone down well.

The court also refused to take on record or accept the apologies of the head constable and the Deputy SP. It instructed the Amreli District Superintendent of Police and the Director General of Police to address the issue and ensure that police officials appearing before the court are in uniform.