Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has emphasized the urgent need to fix police accountability in kidnapping cases, stating that the lack of responsibility among officers often results in delayed investigations and, tragically, the death of the abducted person. The court said that in cases where an FIR is registered, the concerned police officer of that jurisdiction should be held answerable.
The bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Anil Kumar made the strong observation while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Nitesh Kumar from Varanasi. Nitesh’s brother has been missing since March 31, 2025. Despite filing a complaint, the FIR was registered only on April 3, and the police have failed to trace the missing person. Frustrated by police inaction, Nitesh approached the High Court.
The court remarked that such cases are increasingly common, and due to police apathy and inaction, the abducted individuals often remain untraced or end up murdered. The court has directed the Commissioner of Police, Varanasi, to submit a personal affidavit explaining why the missing person has not been found.
It also issued a notice to the government counsel seeking a detailed response and stressed that unless individual officers are held accountable for lapses in kidnapping investigations, effective action will remain elusive.
In another ruling, the Allahabad High Court dismissed a plea to quash an FIR against three individuals accused of cheating a man at an ATM booth by observing his PIN and swapping his card.
Justice JJ Munir and Justice Anil Kumar rejected the petition filed by Nasruddin, Badshah, and others from Muzaffarnagar. According to the FIR filed on December 18, 2024, the accused duped the victim while he was attempting to withdraw money from an ATM.
The court said that such cases warrant a thorough investigation and cannot be dismissed prematurely. It stated that it would not interfere in the investigative process at this stage, especially in matters involving fraud and deception.
