Bombay High Court Slams Mumbai Police Over Midnight Demolition Of Historic Printing Press Founded By Dr BR Ambedkar
Narsi Benwal
11 May 2026 9:26 PM IST
The Bombay High Court recently rapped the Mumbai Police for its "thoughtless" affidavit justifying it's "inaction" over the sudden demolition of the printing press set up by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar at a plot in Dadar, way back in 1945.
The property was demolished in the wee hours of June 25, 2016 after a crowd of 400 to 500 persons thronged the site.
A division bench of Justice Ajay Gadkari and Justice Kamal Khata passed an order on April 30, directing the police authorities to explain why no action was taken on a complaint filed by Ambedkar's grandson on June 25, 2016 when the printing press known as Buddha Bhushan Printing Press, was being demolished in the midnight after 400 to 500 persons gathered the spot.
Notably, in the plea filed by Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr Ambedkar, it is alleged that the property that was demolished, stored books and documents and was seen as an attempt to destroy a major symbol of Dalit history and the Ambedkar movement.
The Mumbai Police through a zonal Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in the city's Dadar area, filed an affidavit justifying that it had taken preventive measures and also that the complainant Anand Ambedkar did not brought any documents to stop the demolition against the structure.
Terming the affidavit to be "thoughtless" the bench said it was deeply disturbed to read such an affidavit.
"We are constrained to express our shock at the audacity and the manner in which the Police responded to the complainants who approached the Police Station. It is rare, if not unprecedented, for the BMC or any Authority to carry out a demolition between 12.00 am. and 7 am. Instead of promptly proceeding to the site and halting what appears to have been an illegal demolition, there was evident inaction on the part of the police. Rather than acknowledging this lapse, an attempt has been made to justify such inaction by adopting a stance that runs contrary to the basic principles of law," the judges observed in the order. The bench was hearing a plea filed by Prakash Ambedkar, the kin of Dr BR Ambedkar, who highlighted the malafide action on part of the authorities in demolishing the iconic printing press, which was purchased on the plot and set up by Dr Ambedkar himself.
An examination of the affidavit filed by the zonal ACP dated April 28, 2026, prima facie indicates that, the same is not in consonance with the deliberation of the Court on last occasion, when the bench had asked the police to specify the names of the officers who were on duty at the relevant point of time.
"The number of persons who ransacked the property are also not mentioned or rather deliberately suppressed in the Affidavit. We direct the Commissioner of Police not to delegate his powers to any subordinate officers while filing the Reply. We request the Commissioner of Police to peruse entire material gathered by the Investigating Agencies before filing the Reply," the bench ordered. The judges further directed the Commissioner of Police to disclose the names of Officers who were on duty at Bhoiwada Police Station when the incident took place."The concerned Authority shall also explain on Affidavit whether the Intelligence Department was functioning at the relevant time when the mob of approximately 400 persons gathered at the scene of offence in the wee hours of June 24, 2016 and June 25, 2016. Whether the local police had received the necessary intelligence reports regarding gathering of such a mob and if yes what action or steps did the Police take to stop the same," the judges said. The said reply the bench asked the authorities to file within a period of six weeks from today.
The persons, who ransacked the property in question, informed the bench during the hearing, that they had communicated/intimated to the police department in advance that they will be taking possession of the concerned suit property in the wee hours of June 23, 2016. "In view of this submission, the Commissioner of BMC shall file an Affidavit in the Petition stating that, whether such a permission for demolition and/or taking possession was sought for and if yes, granted to the accused persons. Whether the demolitions were carried out or permitted to be carried out by the BMC in the City of Mumbai between 12 a.m. midnight and 6 a.m. or this was an isolated case where such a thing has occurred," the bench ordered. The bench has now adjourned the matter for further hearing on June 15.
Case Title: Prakash Y Ambedkar vs Vijay Balkrishna Ranpise (Writ Petition 1782 of 2017)