Court Orders Probe After Cops Parade Bhopal Gangster, 'Shave His Head'

Bhopal Police's decision to publicly parade gangster Zubair Maulana allegedly after shaving his head, beard, and moustache has sparked serious legal and ethical concerns, with the Madhya Pradesh High Court terming the incident a possible violation of fundamental and human rights. 

The Jabalpur bench of the High Court has directed the Human Rights Commission to investigate the matter and take appropriate action against those responsible.

Following their arrest on May 9, Zubair, and three other gangsters, were paraded through the city with Zubair's head and face shaved - a move which triggered widespread criticism, particularly from his family. The police, however, argued that he had shaved off his beard and hair himself to conceal his identity while evading arrest.

A notorious criminal with over 50 serious cases registered against him in various police stations across Bhopal -- including charges of attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, abetment of suicide, and even attacking a police team -- Zubair was arrested after being on the run for six months. 

Allegations Of Fundamental Rights Violation

The petition challenging this action was filed by his wife Shamim Bano, who approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court alleging that the police violated his fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 21, 22, and 25 of the Constitution. 

Represented by Advocate Prashant Chaurasia, Bano claimed that the act was not only dehumanising but also intended to publicly shame Zubair without any legal basis.

"Zubair Maulana is a notorious criminal from Bhopal and had a case registered against him along with his associates at the Teela Jamalpura police station, for which a warrant had also been issued," Advocate Prashant Chaurasia said.

"The police were supposed to arrest him and send him to jail in judicial custody, but instead, they took out a public procession, shaved off his beard and moustache, and paraded him across the city," he added. 

This act, the advocate argued, was a clear violation of Articles 21, 22, and 25 of the Constitution and amounted to a breach of human rights. 

Zubair's wife, Shamim Bano, had filed the petition demanding an investigation into the incident and strict action against the officials involved. 

The court has issued guidelines to the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission to take cognizance of the matter. The order was passed by Justice Vishal Mishra.

The court directed the petitioner to submit a certified copy of the order to the Chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission, clarifying that while it had not expressed any opinion on the merits of the criminal charges against Zubair, the act of parading an accused in such a manner raised valid concerns that required investigation.

The petition had also sought registration of an FIR under Sections 133 and 199 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the police officers involved, along with a departmental inquiry into the incident.

A country-made pistol, four live cartridges, and three knives were recovered during Zubair's arrest, along with three of his associates. He had also been declared a wanted criminal with a bounty of Rs 30,000 on his head. 

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