Telangana High Court Issues Contempt Notice to Hyderabad CP Sajjanar Over Alleged Custodial Harassment

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has issued a contempt notice to Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar over an allegation that its earlier directions to inquire into a complaint of custodial harassment were not complied with.

The contempt petition was filed by Mohammed Shanawaz Alam, a resident of Talab Katta, who alleged that personnel from Hyderabad’s Bhavani Nagar Police Station detained and assaulted him on August 6, 2026. He alleged that his hands and legs were tied and chilli powder was thrown into his eyes before he was beaten.

Alam had approached senior police officials after the alleged incident, claiming that no effective action was taken on his complaint. He subsequently approached the High Court seeking intervention.

During the earlier proceedings, the High Court directed the Hyderabad Police Commissioner to examine Alam’s complaint and verify the CCTV footage of the police station to establish the facts surrounding his allegations. The court also directed that appropriate action be taken against the officials concerned if the allegations were found to be true.

Alam later filed a contempt petition, alleging that the directions issued by the High Court on August 13, 2026 had not been complied with and that no inquiry had been conducted by the Commissioner.

Justice T. Madhavi Devi heard the contempt petition and issued notice to Sajjanar, seeking his response to the allegations of non-compliance. The court has adjourned the matter for further hearing.

The allegations of custodial assault have been disputed, and the court’s earlier direction called for verification of the CCTV footage and an inquiry into the complaint. The contempt proceedings concern the alleged non-compliance with that judicial direction, rather than a final finding on the underlying allegations.