Telangana high court slams police for ‘double standards’ on arrests

Hyderabad: Expressing concerns over “friendly policing to some and not to some others”, Telangana high court has questioned police over their dual standards in not arresting accused persons in an attempt to murder case reported at Narsingi in Nov 2025 and asked why police did not arrest the accused despite there being evidence of their role.Responding to the counsel’s statement that a notice has already been served on the accused, Justice T Madhavi Devi on Monday said: “Why not adopt the same procedure for all cases? Do not arrest in any attempt to murder cases.”The judge passed these remarks while hearing a petition filed by a 70-year-old woman alleging police inaction in the case and further directed the govt counsel to file a detailed counter by the next hearing, “explaining the special category to which the respondents (accused) belong.”Petitioner Bharatha Kumari Mamidi lodged a complaint against her daughter-in-law Deeksha and her mother Sandhya Bannuri, alleging that they tried to kill her and her daughter by zolpidem overdose, by mixing large quantities of it in their food.She alleged that despite having clear evidence and seizure of a large quantity of the drug from the house, police did not arrest them.Govt pleader, home department, Mahesh Raje informed the court that a chargesheet was already filed and was pending for the court to take up the matter.

He informed that police did not make any arrest since Deeksha was pregnant then.“Moreover, the entire case is based only on some tablets, which police have already seized. Apart from that, there is no evidence against them, and that the arrest or custodial interrogation is needed only for recording their confession or seizure of any material,” Raje added.In response, the judge observed that the court could understand that she (Deeksha) was pregnant, but what about the other accused (Sandhya).“How can you give notice in an attempt to murder case? Why no arrest?” the judge asked.“Why not adopt the same procedure for all cases? Do not arrest in any attempt to murder cases,” the judge remarked.The judge further added that “if custodial interrogation is only needed for seizure, do not make arrests”.Referring to the chargesheet, the judge pointed out that it says police seized some material (tablets) and now it was arguing that there was no case against her.“Investigation revealed Deeksha procured tablets in large quantities, and says they are involved, but without arresting or investigating them, how will you say there is no evidence against them?” the judge asked.The judge further noted why police did not accord the same hospitality to everyone and why only selective hospitality to a few. “So many people are coming to courts every day for police summoning them without even there being any case, and harassing them,” the judge said.“This is not done. Do it for everybody. Friendly police to some and not to some others. Is this how you work?” the judge remarked.Further recording the submissions of the govt counsel, the judge directed “a detailed counter be filed explaining why police did not arrest the accused and also the special category to which they belong.”