High Court · 2025

Suo Motu Cont.P.No.2136 of 2025IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRASDATED : 25.08.2025CORAM :THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE P.VELMURUGANSuo Motu Contempt Petition No. 2136 of 2025-----High Court of Madras,Chennai – 600 104. ... Petitioner Vs. 1. The Superintendent of Police, Office of Superintendent of Police, Tiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu – 610 004.2. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Nannilam, Tiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu – 610 105.3. The Inspector of Police, Valangaiman Police Station, Tiruvarur District.4. Rangarajan Formerly working as Inspector of Police, Valangaiman Police Station, Now working as Inspector of Police, Special Investigation Unit, Coimbatore District.Page No.1/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Suo Motu Cont.P.No.2136 of 2025 5. Sankar, SSI, Valangaiman Police Station, Tiruvarur District. ... Respondents(4th respondent impleaded as per order of this Court made in Suo Motu ContemptPetition No.2136 of 2025 dated 10.07.2025)(5th respondent suo motu impleaded as per order of this Court made in Suo Motu Contempt Petition No.2136 of 2025 dated 20.08.2025)Prayer : Suo Motu Contempt Proceedings initiated against the Contemnors herein as per the order of the Hon'ble High Court, dated 12.06.2025 made in W.P.No.9886 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.11107 of 2025.For Petitioner : Mr.E.V.Chandru @ E.ChandrasekaranFor Respondents : Mr.S.Vinoth Kumar Government Advocate (Crl.Side) for R1 to R3 Mr.N.Manokaran for Mr.N.Ponraj for R4O R D E RThis Suo Motu Contempt Proceedings is initiated against the Contemnors herein as per the order of this Court, dated 12.06.2025 made in W.P.No.9886 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.11107 of 2025.Page No.2/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Suo Motu Cont.P.No.2136 of 20252. When the writ petition in W.P.No.9886 of 2025 was taken up for hearing, it was brought to the knowledge of this Court that despite the grant of stay by this Court on 16.08.2023 in Crl.M.P.No.12271 of 2023 in Crl.O.P.No.18440 of 2023 in respect of Crime No.409 of 2023, the respondents-Police proceeded with the investigation and also laid the charge-sheet before the jurisdictional Court. This willful disobedience of the directions of this Court dated 16.08.2023 resulted in the initiation of suo motu contempt proceedings against the respondents/contemnors and a notice was also issued against them. This Court also suo motu impleaded the 4th respondent as a party respondent/contemnor.3. When the matter was taken up for hearing on 20.08.2025, it was the contention of the learned counsel for the fourth respondent that even prior to the filing of charge sheet before the jurisdictional Court i.e. on 22.05.2024, the fourth respondent- N.Rangarajan, was transferred from the third respondent Police Station i.e., Valangaiman Police Station, Tiruvarur District to the District Crime Branch, Thiruvarur and he was relieved from Page No.3/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Suo Motu Cont.P.No.2136 of 2025the third respondent Police Station on 16.11.2023 itself. Therefore, on the date of filing of charge sheet i.e., 22.05.2024, the fourth respondent herein is not the Station House Officer of the third respondent Police Station and also the signature made in the said charge sheet is not the signature of the fourth respondent. At this juncture, the learned Special Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondents 1 to 3 submitted that on enquiry, they found that one Sankar, SSI, Valangaiman Police Station, impersonated the signature of the fourth respondent. Hence, this Court suo motu impleaded the said Sankar as 5th respondent/contemnor and also directed him to appear before this Court on 25.08.2025.4. Today, when the matter was taken up for hearing, the 5th respondent viz., Sankar, SSI, Valangaiman appeared before this Court and on enquiry, he admitted that only on the instructions of the fourth respondent he had put the signature of the fourth respondent in the charge sheet dated 22.05.2024 pertaining to Crime No.409 of 2023. Page No.4/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Suo Motu Cont.P.No.2136 of 20255. It appears that the said Sankar, knowing fully well that the fourth respondent was not the Station House Officer of the third respondent Police Station on the date of filing of the charge sheet, impersonated the signature of the fourth respondent and signed the charge sheet in his name. Such an act, being impersonation on a vital public document, is clearly violative in nature. The charge sheet was thereafter filed before the jurisdictional Court, namely, the Judicial Magistrate Court, Valangaiman. Though the fifth respondent has stated that he did so only on the instructions of the fourth respondent, the fact remains that he did not affix his own signature, but instead forged the signature of the fourth respondent. Filing of a charge sheet against any person without a proper investigation conducted by the competent Investigating Officer, seriously affects the personal liberty of the individual who is shown as an accused.6. In view of the above, it is clear that the fifth respondent, knowing fully well that the fourth respondent is not the Station House Officer during the relevant point of time, has filed the charge sheet impersonating the fourth respondent and put a forged signature in the Page No.5/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Suo Motu Cont.P.No.2136 of 2025charge sheet, violating the order of this Court dated 16.08.2023, by which, this Court ordered stay of further investigation in Cr.No.409 of 2023. Therefore the fifth respondent willfully committed contempt of Court.7. Hence, the 5th respondent herein is hereby sentenced to undergo three months simple imprisonment. 8. The Registry is directed to issue the necessary warrant against the fifth respondent/contemnor and the second respondent-Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thiruvarur District, is hereby directed to execute the warrant by taking custody of the fifth respondent/ contemnor and remand him into Central Prison, Puzhal, to undergo the sentence.9. In view of the above, the contempt proceedings against the the respondents 1 to 4 is hereby dropped. Accordingly, the Contempt Petition is closed. 25.08.2025Index: Yes/NoSpeaking Order/Non-Speaking OrderNeutral Citation Case : Yes/NomsNote : Issue Order Copy todayPage No.6/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Suo Motu Cont.P.No.2136 of 2025To1. The Superintendent of Police, Office of Superintendent of Police, Tiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu – 610 004.2. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Nannilam, Tiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu – 610 105.3. The Inspector of Police, Valangaiman Police Station, Tiruvarur District.4.The Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai. Page No.7/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Suo Motu Cont.P.No.2136 of 2025P.VELMURUGAN, J.ms Suo Motu Contempt Petition No.2136 of 202525.08.2025Page No.8/8