Come up with norms to ensure cops don’t breach privacy: Bombay HC

When the matter came up for hearing, the petitioner’s counsel was absent, though the public prosecutor appeared on behalf of the state. Primarily, the court said, the state now had to come up with safeguards that would ensure such powers are not misused. Public Prosecutor Sandeep Shinde informed the court that the raids were conducted after residents of the area complained of “indecent activities”.

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“Any motivated complaint can have the police exercising its powers, which should not happen,” the court said suggesting that a high-ranking police officer could perhaps assess the veracity of such complaints, and also the manner in which personnel exercise their powers.

Shinde sought four weeks to formulate the guidelines, reasoning that instruction will have to be sought from the police commissioner. On August 6 last year, the police had conducted raids in hotels along the Malwani beach and booked couples on charges of indecency.