In a significant ruling on Wednesday, the Kerala High Court handed down a two-month simple imprisonment sentence to Raneesh V.R., a former Sub-inspector at Alathur police station in Palakkad, for using abusive language against a lawyer. The court, however, suspended the sentence for one year, setting conditions aimed at rehabilitating the officer’s conduct.
Justice Devan Ramachandran, presiding over the case, stipulated that the suspension of the sentence is contingent upon Raneesh’s adherence to court orders prohibiting such behavior. If the former sub-inspector maintains a clean record for the duration, the sentence will be dismissed after one year.
The case stemmed from a contempt of court petition filed against Mr. Raneesh, accusing him of violating a previous High Court directive that explicitly bans the use of foul and abusive language towards civilians in police stations. The court’s decision comes in response to an incident involving derogatory remarks made by the officer towards a lawyer who was representing a client at the time.
Initially, Raneesh offered a reserved apology in his first affidavit but later submitted a second affidavit where he fully acknowledged his wrongdoing. He expressed unconditional apology and remorse, promising a commitment to professional behavior and a respectful conduct in the future.
