Police Uniform Not a License to Assault Innocent Citizens, No Protection Under Section 197 CrPC for Acts Beyond Official Duty: Allahabad High Court

In a significant ruling, the Allahabad High Court recently refused to grant relief to four Uttar Pradesh police officials who were accused of abusing, assaulting, and unlawfully confining a doctor and his companions. The Court held that acts committed outside the scope of a public servant’s official duties do not require prior sanction for prosecution under Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The Court made it clear that…