Three citizens knocked the doors of the Telangana High Court alleging that Rachakonda police were summoning them to police stations and compelling them to fill up some forms without following due procedure of law.

The writ petition, which is likely to come up for hearing, has been filed by a lawyer, a private employee and a tailor. The petitioners sought instructions to restrain Rachakonda police to compel them to furnish personal information without adopting legal procedures.

The petitioners -- lawyer D. Devendra, private employee M. Swapna and tailor Atmakur Annapoorna -- are activists of Chaitanya Mahila Sangham, a women organisation. Claiming that their organisation works for womens rights and their empowerment, the petitioners accused the police of bearing a grudge against them as they fought against the high-handed behaviour of the police and their inaction in some cases.

Though fighting for rights is a democratic process, the police are foisting false cases against the organisation and its members accusing them of being frontal organisations of some banned outfits, the petitioners said. The petitioners said they had opposed privatisation of TSRTC and pledged solidarity with the striking workers of the corporation.

The lawyer maintained that late on the night of November 22, two persons came to his house claiming themselves as constables of Medipally police station. They allegedly told him that an inspector had summoned him to the police station and declined to divulge any details behind the reasons for calling him to the police station.

The next afternoon, two policemen again came to his house and allegedly took his father to the police station where he was detained till evening. The advocate charged that police told his father that they would not set him free until his son personally appears before them and filled-up some forms.

An officer of the police station, the advocate claimed in the petition, had called him through his fathers mobile phone, summoning him to the police station. According to the lawyer, the police officer told him that they require to secure details from him as per the instructions from the Intelligence Department.

Mr. Devendra alleged that the police declined to give him a copy of the form which they wanted him to fill up. The details they sought was private information, he said. The lawyer, along with the other two petitioners, alleged that police did a similar exercise six months ago.

Forcing people to furnish personal information without following the procedure of law is violation of fundamental rights of an individual, they said.

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Plea in HC accuses police of forcing petitioners to furnish personal info - The Hindu