V. Ponramu Vs Registrar Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission (Madras High Court)
The matter before the Madras High Court concerned a batch of writ petitions challenging an order dated 02.03.2022 passed by the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission in SHRC No.7346 of 2018. The Commission had issued recommendations including payment of compensation and initiation of disciplinary action against certain police officials in connection with the arrest of a passenger following an incident at Tuticorin Airport.
The case originated from an incident on 03.09.2018 when a passenger raised a slogan while disembarking from an Indigo flight travelling from Chennai to Tuticorin. The slogan was raised in the presence of a political party leader who was also travelling on the same flight. The leader questioned the passenger regarding the conduct, to which the passenger replied that she had the right to speak and would continue to shout. A complaint was subsequently submitted by the political leader to the Airport Authority of India, requesting enquiry and action. The Airport Authority forwarded the complaint to the local police.
Based on the complaint, the police registered a case in Crime No.285 of 2018 for alleged offences under Sections 290, 75(1)(c), and 505(1)(b) of the Indian Penal Code. The passenger was arrested and later released on bail. Thereafter, the passenger’s father filed a complaint before the Human Rights Commission alleging that the arrest was illegal and violated human rights. The complaint was filed against several police officials involved in the registration and investigation of the case.
