CHENNAI, JUNE 26 2025 –The Madras High Court has upheld an award of ₹1 lakh compensation granted by the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) to a man who was coerced to strip and treated inhumanely while in police custody.
The case arose from two writ petitions challenging the SHRC’s order and a subsequent direction from the Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Home Department.
A Division Bench of Justice J. Nisha Banu and Justice M. Jothiraman emphasized the importance of protecting human dignity and fundamental rights, stating:
“The police officials must respect human dignity, avoid discrimination and protect vulnerable groups. The police officials must adhere to human rights standing orders to build trust, prevent abuse and promote accountability. By upholding human rights, police officials shall effectively perform their duties, while respecting citizen’s fundamental rights and dignity.”
MADRAS HIGH COURT: FACTUAL BACKGROUND
The case involved a respondent who filed a complaint before the Tamil Nadu SHRC, alleging that in 2013, at around 3 a.m., he was taken into custody and forced to remove all his clothes, subjected to inhuman treatment in lock-up, and falsely implicated in a case registered under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860.
He accused the Inspector of Police, Sub-Inspectors, and Police Constables of violating his human rights and requested that the Commission take appropriate action against the officials.
After reviewing the case, the SHRC found that there was a clear violation of human rights and directed the State to pay ₹1,00,000 as compensation to the respondent. This order was challenged before the High Court by the implicated police officials.
LEGAL REPRESENTATION
Petitioners were represented by Advocate M. Rajasekar.
Respondents (State of Tamil Nadu and others) were represented by Special Government Pleader (SGP) M. Venkateshwaran and Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) M. Babu Muthu Meeran.
COURT’S REASONING
The High Court, after evaluating the SHRC’s findings and the petitioners’ arguments, observed:
“This Court is of the view that the police officials have a critical role in maintaining the law and order, while upholding human rights. Their duties include i) protecting citizens ii) upholding the laws and iii) maintaining tranquility.”
The Court also underlined the importance of the SHRC’s constitutional and statutory role:
“It is needless to mention that any act done by the officials of the Government in violation of the Human Rights then the Government either directly or vicariously liable for the act done by the officials. Since there was no challenge to the recommendations given by the state human rights commission by the government in terms of section 18(e) of the Act,” the Bench added.
FINAL VERDICT
Concluding that there was no reason to interfere with the SHRC’s recommendations, the High Court dismissed the writ petitions and upheld the compensation order.
“There is no reason to interfere with the impugned Order,” the Court ruled.
