Missing UP Cop Dead? : Allahabad High Court Converts Habeas Plea To Criminal Writ, Flags 'Suspicion' Over Dysfunctional CCTVs

Noting that the matter involves 'serious' and 'grave' issues, the HC directed the conversion of his mother's habeas corpus petition into a Criminal Miscellaneous Writ Petition.

A bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Sanjiv Kumar expressed deep skepticism over the police investigation in the case as it specifically flagged a "big suspicion" regarding reports that all relevant CCTV cameras in the area were non-functional.

It may be noted that SI Anuj Kumar went "missing without trace" shortly after being suspended by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Aligarh, on September 17, 2025.

While the petitioner, the officer's mother, alleged that he was last seen being escorted by an Inspector of Police and a Constable, the police suggested before the HC that an unidentified body found on railway tracks belongs to him.

In its order passed earlier today, the High Court took strong exception to the police's claim that electronic surveillance failed to capture any relevant footage. "Every CCTV camera that could have captured the happenings has been reported to be non-functional", the Court noted.

Refusing to accept this as a mere technical glitch, the Bench recorded a stern observation regarding potential connivance to destroy evidence in this case. The Court remarked thus:

"A CCTV camera, where installed and reported to be non-functional, creates a big suspicion about whomsoever is the owner of the establishment where the dysfunctional CCTV camera has been installed, which of course has to be seen in the background of the fact whether the owner of the establishment could be in connivance with the one who wanted evidence destroyed."

During the hearing, the State filed a compliance affidavit on behalf of the SSP, Aligarh which stated that a dead body had been discovered on the railway tracks and the HC was urged to "accept or believe" this to be the missing officer.

Notably, the police affidavit referred to SI as the "abducted Sub-Inspector". However, the Bench termed the report regarding the dead body "very elusive".

The court made it clear that while they could not comment extensively on the factual matrix at this stage, the police narrative could not be accepted at face value without deeper scrutiny.

"This is no longer a case where the man is in illegal detention of the Police…He might have been illegally detained, but apparently has met with a gory fate", the Court observed.

Thus, converting the plea into a criminal writ, the matter has been listed for a priority hearing on December 16, 2025 .