The Allahabad High Court has granted interim protection from arrest to Anil Kumar Gautam, the suspended Superintendent of Banda Jail, who is facing criminal charges for the allegedly unauthorized release of a Noida-based gangster. The court’s intervention follows a petition seeking to quash the First Information Report (FIR) registered against the official in connection with the procedural lapse.
A division bench comprising Justice Rajeev Mishra and Justice Satya Veer Singh provided the relief while hearing Gautam’s plea. The petitioner had approached the court seeking protection from arrest and the quashing of Case Crime No. 64 of 2026, registered at Kotwali Nagar police station in Banda district.
Granting the interim stay on April 1, the bench noted: “Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, it is hereby provided that until further orders of this court, petitioner shall not be arrested.”
While the court restrained the police from arresting Gautam, it clarified that the investigation into the matter can continue. However, the court has specifically prohibited the Investigating Officer from filing a police report (charge sheet) before the concerned magistrate under Section 193(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) while the petition remains pending.
The legal controversy stems from an FIR lodged on February 2, 2026, by Anurag Pandey, the in-charge of the Jail Chowki. The complaint alleges that Ravindra Singh, also known as Ravi Kana—a gangster from Noida who had been incarcerated in Banda jail since August 2024—was released from custody without a valid court order.
According to the prosecution, Singh was produced before a court via video-conferencing on a B-warrant on January 29, 2026. The controversy erupted when the jail administration allegedly allowed his release before a formal custody warrant was received by the prison authorities. Following the incident, Gautam was placed under suspension and booked under Section 260(C) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The High Court has issued notices to all respondents, including the State Government of Uttar Pradesh, directing them to submit their responses. The court has granted the state six weeks to file counter-affidavits.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on May 27, 2026.
