Despite earlier orders, police still deny complaint copies: Bombay High Court fines cop

3 min readMumbaiJun 26, 2026 11:05 AM IST

The Bombay High Court also directed the SHO of Wada Police Station to deposit the amount from his salary account within 15 days. (AI generated image)

Expressing concern over repeated instances of the police refusing to provide accused persons with copies of complaints despite earlier judicial directions, the Bombay High Court Thursday imposed a personal cost of Rs 25,000 on the station house officer of Palghar’s Wada police station.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Gautam A Ankhad said such petitions continue to reach the court because officers fail to comply with settled legal requirements.

The bench passed an order on a plea by the accused in an economic offences case, argued through Advocates Manuj Borkar and Prasad Borkar, noting that the Maharashtra Government’s lawyer “cannot explain the refusal.”

“This court has passed several orders in such matters. Yet, such petitions continue to come before us, and the petitioners are compelled not only to knock on the doors of this court, but also to spend on litigation,” the bench said.

The petition

It added that it would be “appropriate to impose costs on the SHO” in matters where the legal requirement of supplying such copies was not fulfilled, just for the sake of refusing them.

The court also directed the SHO of Wada Police Station to deposit the amount from his salary account within 15 days. Disposing of the plea, it also asked him to supply copies of the complaints lodged against the petitioners within five working days.

The petitioners told the court that they were given copies of the complaints through their advocates related to earlier offences registered against them with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) “after strenuous efforts.”

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However, another offence was registered against them at Wada Police Station in Palghar District, and the SHO issued them notices. The petitioners claimed that when they appeared before the Wada Police Station and sought copies of the complaints against them, a police inspector allegedly told them they were indulging in “time killing” and refused to provide the copies.

The petitioners said the police are legally bound to provide the accused with information about the allegations against them and to enable them to effectively exercise their legal rights.

Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions.

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Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage.

Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in:

Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include:

Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes).

Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty).

Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict.

Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability.

Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges.

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