Work pressure not an excuse for police’s illegal behaviour, says Kerala High Court

“If, on the other, it is taken that the “incident” referred to above, is that he used vocatives prohibited by this court, as alleged, then the justification to it, that he did so “out of heat of passion and pressure of the circumstances” cannot be, prima facie, countenanced either, because no civilized police force or officer can act illegally, whatever be the “pressure,” the court observed in its order.

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Officer’s stand contradictory

It said the officer’s apology was contradictory.

The officer concerned had in an affidavit, tendered an unconditional apology.

On Friday, 17 February, the court observed that the stand adopted by the officer was contradictory because, “when he says that he did not commit any contempt, one wonders why he is tendering an unconditional apology.”

The officer had affirmed before the court that the “incident was unintentional but it happened out of heat of passion and pressure of the circumstances for which I deeply regret and tender my unconditional apology and I undertake that I will not involve in similar incidents alike(sic).”

The court had earlier said that stress was not a licence to behave in an abusive manner.

The state police chief had earlier told the court that the abusive behaviour of certain police officers are mainly due to “stress”.

Earlier, the state police chief had informed the court that the officer concerned was transferred.

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