Woman cop fined Rs 1L for disobeying HC order

A woman police constable faced the wrath of the Madras High Court for not obeying its order to handover custody of her minor child for a day to her estranged husband as it penalised her with Rs one lakh and ordered disciplinary action today.

Justice M V Muralidharan imposed the fine while dismissing a civil revision petition of the constable, who has applied for divorce, challenging the interim order of a lower court in Virudhunagar to send her daughter with her husband for two days a week.

The Judge also directed the Virudhunagar District Superintendent of Police to initiate disciplinary proceedings against her for wilfully disobeying the high court order, and file a report on August 7.

He further asked the lower court to give effect to its April 24 last order by directing the SP to nominate an appropriate police personnel to take custody of the child from the woman constable and hand over to her estranged husband for two days every week.

Earlier, the judge had directed the constable to be present at the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court Bar Association (MMBA) on July 21 and hand over the child to her husband for being with him for the day.

The order was passed in the presence of the counsel for the petitioner as well as the respondent.

However, she did not turn up in spite of repeated reminders and her disobedience was informed to the MMBA officials.

She had approached the high court against the recent order of the Virudhunagar Sub-Judge directing her to hand over the child to her husband for two days in a week (Saturdays and Sundays).

The interim order was passed on an interim application by the husband on the divorce petition.

Justice Muralidharan directed the constable to pay the cost of Rs one lakh to the Chief Justice Relief Fund attached to the Madurai Bench within two weeks.