Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has come down hard on the police for overstepping their authority and slammed magistrates for blindly approving arrests without due diligence. The strong remarks came during a habeas corpus hearing over the alleged illegal detention of Premkumar by the Kurnool Three-Town Police. A bench comprising Justice Rao Raghunandan Rao and Dr. Justice Kumbhajadala Manmadha Rao has now ordered all records to be submitted by April 8.
The judges didn’t hold back, remarking, “The police’s behavior makes our blood pressure rise.” The court blasted the police for slapping charges without proper grounds and cooking up statements to justify arrests. They were particularly outraged by Premkumar’s arrest over a social media reel, where just ₹300 was cited as evidence. “Is it a crime to criticize the government through satire or drama? If so, every actor and filmmaker should be arrested,” the bench said, questioning the absurdity of the case.
Adding to the criticism, the court slammed the police for traveling eight to nine hours from Kurnool to Guntur to arrest Premkumar at midnight—without informing local authorities or securing permission. “What authority do Kurnool police have in Guntur? Did you even seek approval?” the judges asked, pointing out procedural lapses, including producing witnesses from Kurnool instead of Guntur. “We know exactly how the police bend the rules. Don’t assume we’re unaware just because we sit in court,” the bench warned.
But the rebuke didn’t stop there—the judiciary itself was also under fire. “Blaming only the police isn’t enough. Magistrates must be held accountable too,” the court said, slamming them for rubber-stamping police requests without verifying facts. In Premkumar’s case, the Kurnool magistrate had accepted unverified claims labeling him a repeat offender. Now, the court has directed both the Kurnool Three-Town Station House Officer and the magistrate to submit all relevant records.
Advocate Veluri Maheshwara Reddy, representing petitioner Koritipati Abhinay, argued that the police’s crackdown on social media users is illegal. The court outright rejected the state’s defense, with Special Government Advocate Vishnuteja failing to justify the police’s actions.
With the hearing now adjourned to April 8, the High Court’s strong words send a clear message—law enforcement and judicial authorities must be held accountable, and citizens’ rights must be protected.
