On June 19, the Supreme Court quashed the Madras High Court order arresting Tamil Nadu Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) HM Jayaram in kidnapping case. The court also handed over the investigation to the state police's CB-CID.
A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan passed the order while hearing a petition filed by ADGP Jayaram challenging the High Court's direction for his arrest. The court emphasised that Jayaram can challenge his suspension order in a separate proceeding.
The court said, "After hearing the parties, we are of the view that the petitioner would have his remedies to contest the order of suspension. However, given the nefarious circumstances in which the impugned order was passed, we are of the view that the investigation in this case should be handed over to the CB-CID."
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Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, informed the court that the ADGP's suspension was not based on the high court order and confirmed that the state has no objection to the case being handed over to the CB-CID.
The bench further said, "We request the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court to assign other connected matters to some other bench. The high court's direction to secure the petitioner and take action against him is set aside."
The Supreme Court also questioned the rationale behind the suspension of ADGP Jayaram and expressed concern over the high court's arrest direction issued during the hearing of the anticipatory bail plea by the co-accused.
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Background of the case
The case stems from an anticipatory bail plea filed by KV Kuppam MLA “Poovai” Jagan Murthy, who is an accused in an abduction case registered by the Tiruvallur police station based on a complaint by a woman named Lakshmi.
Lakshmi alleged that her elder son married a girl without the consent of her family. Following this, the girl’s relatives, accompanied by some unidentified persons, barged into her house in search of the couple. As the couple hid, her 18-year-old younger son was allegedly abducted.
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She further alleged that her injured younger son was later dropped near a hotel in the ADGP’s official vehicle. It was also claimed that the MLA had plotted the entire incident.
Madras High Court Justice P Velmurugan, while directing the police to take action against the ADGP, had said:
“Being a public servant, the officer is accountable to the public. A strong message must go out that no one is above the law.”
The latest order of the Supreme Court effectively revokes this direction and reassigns both the investigation and related judicial matters for fair conduct.
Case Details: H.M.JAYARAM v. THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE AND ANR|Diary No. 33224-2025
