Supreme Court Flags Colonial-Era Policing; Says People Are Jailed Only for Optics

The Supreme Court has strongly criticised the persistence of colonial-era policing and investigation practices in India, stating that people are often jailed merely for optics without proper justification.

A bench led by Justice Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi observed that arrest is frequently used as a routine tool, disregarding personal liberty.

The Court noted that such actions violate fundamental rights and fail to align with modern criminal jurisprudence.

Stressing the need for systemic reform, the Court called for strict adherence to procedural safeguards and emphasized that incarceration should not be used for public appeasement or symbolic punishment.

[Suryakant Tiwari v. State of Chhattisgarh]