The Tripura High Court has rejected a ₹10 lakh compensation claim filed by a senior Congress leader over a police raid at his home in 2020. The court said the leader must approach a civil court to seek damages rather than expecting the high court to award compensation directly.
The plea was filed by Gopal Chandra Roy, a former MLA and state Congress president. He argued that the police raid violated his constitutional rights, including freedom of movement, privacy, personal liberty, and freedom of expression under Articles 19 and 21.
Police had conducted the search as part of an investigation into a letter allegedly printed with the state emblem and circulated to the media. The letter reportedly accused the Chief Minister of providing misleading information about COVID‑19 cases in neighbouring states. Authorities claimed the act fell under the Indian Penal Code sections on forgery and criminal conspiracy.
A single judge had earlier dismissed Roy’s application, noting that factual disputes needed resolution in a civil court. On appeal, a division bench of the High Court, led by Justices M S Ramachandra Rao and S Datta Purkayastha, upheld that decision. The judges said the high court could not determine whether the police acted unlawfully given the conflicting accounts.
The bench also referred to a previous trial court order that had dismissed a police application for a search warrant due to procedural issues. However, the High Court did not comment on that order to avoid influencing ongoing legal proceedings. Instead, the judges advised Roy to file a civil lawsuit if he wishes to pursue compensation for alleged harm caused during the 2020 raid.
This decision clarifies that individuals cannot directly claim monetary damages from the High Court for alleged police misconduct and must follow proper civil procedures to seek compensation.
