AGARTALA, June 14 (TIWN): The division bench of High Court of Tripura has summoned Superintendent of Police, west district Bijoy Kumar Nag and his loyalist Officer in Charge (OC), New Capital Complex (NCC) police station Subrata Chakraborty to appear before the court on June 18 and explained why a judicial officer was arrested violating the Supreme Court ruling.In 1991, the apex court had ruled that judicial officer could not be arrested without prior permission either from the concerned High Court or District and Sessions court.

Even if he or she committed crime, police should inform his or her relatives/ lawyer about the arrest. Interestingly, the OC arrested Matam Debbrma, the first class judicial magistrate, Bishalgarh subdivision on charge of driving a vehicle recklessly in intoxicated condition on June 6.

He did not seek any permission from the competent authority before arresting the judicial officer to show him off a rough-tough cop. After the arrest, the judicial officer was pushed into lock up with other criminals lodged behind the bar, which is also in violation of law.

After knowing the incident, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Deepak Gupta and SC Das took a suo-moto cognizance and asked both the SP and the OC to personally before the High Court and explained why they did not follow the guideline of the SC.

They will have to appear before the court on June 18.

The bench also issued notice to Chief Secretary SK Panda and DGP to inform the court whether they had passed the HC verdict to the lower level officers about the procedure of arrest of a judicial officer.

The entire police administration has shaken by the HC directive on how to save the face. Senior advocate Arun Chandra Bhowmik demanded action against the OC for violating the SC prescribed order.

Earlier also, the OC- Subrata Chakraborty was removed from OC, West police station on charge of misconduct. Of late, a specific complaint was lodged against Mr. Chakraborty for harassing a scribe near Kunjaban Outpost. But the authority including Inspector General (IG), Law and Order Mr. Anurag did not take any action against the errant police officer for unknown reasons.