# XXXX v. State of Punjab

HTML version: [https://datalibertarian.in/babuwatch/incident/CW-2024-0022](https://datalibertarian.in/babuwatch/incident/CW-2024-0022)

## Report card

By judgment dated 3 December 2024 in CRM-M-40569-2024 (O&M), the Punjab and Haryana High Court (Coram: Kirti Singh, J.) returned findings adverse to the Sub-Inspector, Sultanpur Lodhi Police Station, and directed payment of compensation of Rs 2 lakh (Rs 2,00,000).

- Register number: PB 09 CW 0003
- Case reference: CRM-M-40569-2024 (O&M)
- Court and date: Punjab and Haryana High Court (Coram: Kirti Singh, J.), 3 December 2024
- Officer(s) at the material time: Sub-Inspector, Sultanpur Lodhi Police Station
- Present service status: Not ascertained from the cited sources.
- Provisions invoked: Section 22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985
- Finding of the Court (extract): “This Court is deeply troubled by the high-handedness of the police authorities which have flagrantly disregarded the fundamental rights of a citizen as envisaged in the Constitution of India. It is appalling to witness such blatant violation where those entrusted …” (at para 11)
- Verdict, sentence and quantum: Adverse finding + compensation. Sentence: compensation only. Compensation: Rs 2 lakh (Rs 2,00,000).
- Present status of the proceedings: No further proceedings are recorded in the cited sources; the judgment is the concluded position shown.
- Source orders: [Judgment / order (primary source)](https://www.livelaw.in/pdf_upload/crm-m40569202403122024finalorder-575526.pdf); [Permanent link to this record](https://datalibertarian.in/babuwatch/incident/CW-2024-0022)

**Record:** CW-2024-0022 (compiler id CWC-0618); case SWILLEGA-044
**Title:** XXXX v. State of Punjab
**Court:** Punjab and Haryana High Court; judges: Kirti Singh
**Case number / citation:** CRM-M-40569-2024 (O&M)
**Judgment:** 2024-12-03 (2024, day precision)
**Incident date:** 2024-06-26 (2024)
**Place:** Kapurthala, Punjab; city town: Sultanpur Lodhi; police station or unit: Sultanpur Lodhi Police Station; force: state_police
**Category:** Violence & unlawful detention
**Sub-category:** illegal detention false imprisonment
**Outcome:** Adverse finding + compensation (adverse_finding_compensation)
**Sections:** NDPS Act s.22
**Officers (gated display forms):** Sub-Inspector, Sultanpur Lodhi Police Station (1 in record)
**Victims:** Sultanpur Lodhi man (1 in record)
**Sentence / compensation:** compensation only; Rs 2 lakh (Rs 2,00,000)
**Sentence type:** compensation only (compensation_only)

The judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court records the following account. A Sultanpur Lodhi man @ a Sultanpur Lodhi man was booked in FIR 125 dated 26 June 2024 under Section 22 of the NDPS Act at Sultanpur Lodhi after 525 capsules were recovered from him, but the FSL report received by police on 31 August 2024 showed the tablets contained only acetaminophen (paracetamol). The High Court found police high-handedness in failing to act promptly on the FSL report and get the petitioner released, keeping him in unjust custody till High Court bail on 13 September 2024. The Court awarded Rs 2,00,000 compensation payable within one month, with 50% recoverable from the salary of the erring official Sub-Inspector, and directed masking of the petitioner's name in digital records. Matters not addressed in the cited judgment text are not recorded here.

> This Court is deeply troubled by the high-handedness of the police authorities which have flagrantly disregarded the fundamental rights of a citizen as envisaged in the Constitution of India. It is appalling to witness such blatant violation where those entrusted with duty to uphold the rule of law failed to perform their duties.

**Sources (2):** [livelaw.in](https://www.livelaw.in/pdf_upload/crm-m40569202403122024finalorder-575526.pdf); [livelaw.in](https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/punjab-and-haryana-high-court/punjab-haryana-high-court-grants-compensation-unjust-detention-for-carrying-paracetamol-277821)
**Verification:** V2 · Externally reported
**Review:** Solo Staff combined review (one combined attestation) — not yet recorded
**admin category:** misconduct
**admin subcategory:** illegal_detention_false_imprisonment
**allegations:** {'category': 'Other', 'primary': True, 'position': 'Material fact supported', 'position_explainer': 'Reliable material supports a specifically documented fact relevant to that allegation, not necessarily the full allegation, causation, intent, unlawfulness, or responsibility.', 'official_finding_relation': 'supports allegation'}
**anonymised:** False
**court quote para:** 11
**display title redacted:** XXXX v. State of Punjab
**followup history:** {'date': '2026-09-19', 'scope': 'Round-8 full re-verification: published record re-checked against the judgment text (outcome, officers, quote, key facts) plus methodology-compliance pass', 'method': 'skills-guided adversarial re-verification of the published record against the judgment text (reverify/t1-*/adversarial-8.jsonl)', 'result': 'holds', 'corrections_applied': \[\]}
**followup status:** checked
**institutional response:** {'date': '2024-12-03', 'action_type': 'Order issued', 'status': 'Concluded', 'authority': 'Punjab and Haryana High Court', 'independence': 'External', 'legal_effect': 'Binding', 'description': 'The Punjab and Haryana High Court recorded adverse findings against police personnel and ordered Rs 200,000.', 'disposition': 'Compensation ordered · Supports allegation (for the compensated wrong only)', 'source': 'CRM-M-40569-2024 (O&M)', 'recheck': 'Not yet re-checked.'}
**last checked:** 2026-09-19
**link checked per url:** {'url': 'https://www.livelaw.in/pdf_upload/crm-m40569202403122024finalorder-575526.pdf', 'link_checked': None}; {'url': 'https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/punjab-and-haryana-high-court/punjab-haryana-high-court-grants-compensation-unjust-detention-for-carrying-paracetamol-277821', 'link_checked': None}
**retracted:** {"is_retracted": false}
**service:** police
**source assessment:** {"established": null, "basis": null}
**status:** current
**subcategory display:** illegal detention false imprisonment
**tier:** Tier A — Externally reported or officially recorded
**tier badge:** Externally reported
**tier history:** Tier A — Externally reported or officially recorded
**verdict:** accept
**verdict note:** HC order text verified from judgment PDF; Rs 2 lakh compensation with 50% recovery from erring SI.
**verification badge:** V2 · Externally reported
**verification status:** V2
**watch:** babuwatch

Status: Adverse finding + compensation.

[Open CW-2024-0022](https://datalibertarian.in/babuwatch/incident/CW-2024-0022)