Akanksha Arun Mehendale v. State Of Maharashtra And ANR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
by SUNNY ANKUSHRAO THOTE Date:
2025.08.14 10:04:50 +0530 SUNNY ANKUSHRAO THOTE CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO. 4188 OF 2025 Akanksha Arun Mehendale
...Petitioner
Versus
The State of Maharashtra & Ors.
...Respondents
Mr. A.R. Kulkarni a/w Mr. A.P. Mandlik for the Petitioner. Mr. J.P. Yagnik, APP for the Respondent/State. Ms. Akanksha Arun Mehendale, Petitioner is present. Mr. Praveen Ghutugade, API, Dombivali Police Station, present. CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE & GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, JJ.
DATE : 13th AUGUST, 2025 P.C. :- 1.
Horrendous facts are brought before the Court by the Petitioner, who is the elder biological daughter of an aged couple, who are being beaten mercilessly by the biological son. She has shown great strength and courage by installing CCTV cameras inside the house when it became unbearable for her to see her elder brother, who is an alcoholic, beat the old parents with kicks and shoes until they bleed. CCTV Cameras recorded such beating and it
is the contention of the Petitioner, who took her old father to the Police Station and showed the video recordings to Mr. Praveen Ghutugade, API, Dombivali Police Station.
2.
According to the Petitioner and her father, despite seeing the CCTV Footage recordings, the said Police Officer hardly reacted. We are informed that a written complaint was prepared on 16th June, 2025 and tendered to the Police Station on 17th June, 2025. The said Officer refused to accept it. Hence, the Petitioner dispatched the complaint on 18th June, 2025 by Post Department, which was received by the said Police Officer on 19th June, 2025. It is from that day until the 10th of August, 2025, that the beating of the parents has continued unabated, only because the Police failed react to the situation.
3.
The learned APP, on instructions from Mr. Ghutugade, informs the Court that the video recording was never shown to him. He further submits, on instructions, that an N.C. was registered on 25th June, 2025, and a second N.C. was registered on 1st July, 2025, wherein it is recorded that the son physically assaulted his parents and also assaulted the elder sister (Petitioner), when she attempted
to rescue them. Yet, only an N.C. was registered. 4.
Finally, the Petitioner approached this Court by lodging the present Petition on 23rd July, 2025. The learned Advocate for the Petitioner tenders a short transcription of a discussion between Mr. Ghutugade and the Petitioner, dated 7th August, 2025, under the signature of the Petitioner. The same is taken on record and marked as 'X-1' for identification.
5.
Since the learned APP has been instructed by Mr. Ghutugade to deny that the CCTV footage was shown to him or that he was aware of the old couple being beaten, we direct Mr. Ghutugade to file his personal affidavit on or before 16th August, 2025.
6.
List this Petition on 19th August, 2025, in the 'Urgent Supplementary Board'.
7.
In the meanwhile, the Senior Police Inspector of Dombivali Police Station shall ensure that lady constables, accompanied by male constables, visit the premises of the
Petitioner. Both the lady and male constables shall share their cell phone numbers with the Petitioner to enable her to contact them in case of an emergency.
(GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, J.) (RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.)