New Delhi: Compensation to the Head Constable from Delhi Police, on the ground of loss of his reputation, is denied by the honourable Supreme Court of India, yesterday, on 1st April, when it viewed the video where he was shown as “drunk cop” in a Metro train went viral on the Social Media.
In the decision, the bench of the honourable Apex Court, comprising of Justice- J. S. Khehar, has found telling the Petitioner- Salim P. K’s Counsel that “What can be done when nobody committed any wrong’. The constable is already brought back on duty, and “it is not that media circulated” the video with any ulterior motive. Even the bench said that the Media has corrected the facts in its later reports and as such the reputation of the petitioner- constable was restored back.
Moreover, the bench further sought to make it clear that there was no violation of any fundamental right of the petitioner and that the titled as “Drunk Delhi Police man on Delhi Metro – Funny” was posted on Facebook (a social media platform) by the its user.
This video was showing that the petitioner was struggling to hold on to pole while swinging back and forth inside the moving metro coach. It was clarified by petition earlier that he was losing consciousness because of a major blockage in his brain, and he was not drunk as shown in the video. And considering his plea, the Police department has taken him back on duty, after giving him a clean chit and also the period for which he was suspended, was also taken as ‘spent on duty’.
The petitioner- Salim earlier through his counsel- Wills Mathew seemed filing a petition, where he found contended that he suffered a major brain storke on 9th day of January, 2012, while he was serving on special security duty of former Chief Minister of Delhi- Sheela Dikshit. Moreover, after his treatment and immediate surgery, he could only survive, with the partially paralysed body, and with contorted face.
In the petition, he claimed directions against the Press Council of India, the Central and Delhi State governments, Commissioner of Police and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to take appropriate positive steps, in which he specifically demanded the publishing of ‘correct facts’ and also for the compensation or damages to him.
Adv. Faim Khalilkhan Pathan