High Court Slams Narsingi Police For Not Arresting Attempt To Murder Accused

The Telangana High Court on Monday strongly criticized the police for "double standards" and selective "friendly policing" after they failed to arrest two women accused in an attempt-to-murder case reported in Narsingi in November 2025. Justice T Madhavi Devi questioned why the police did not make arrests despite having clear evidence of the accused individuals' role in the poisoning incident.

The court's remarks came during the hearing of a petition filed by 70-year-old Bharatha Kumari Mamidi, who alleged police inaction in her case. Mamidi had filed a complaint against her daughter-in-law, Deeksha, and Deeksha's mother, Sandhya Bannuri. She accused them of attempting to kill her and her daughter by mixing large quantities of Zolpidem, a sedative, into their food.

Mamidi contended that although the police had seized a large quantity of the drug from the house and possessed clear evidence, they refused to arrest the accused.

Representing the home department, government pleader Mahesh Raje informed the court that a chargesheet had already been filed and was pending. He argued that the police did not arrest Deeksha because she was pregnant at the time of the investigation. Raje further stated that the case relied primarily on the seized tablets, and that custodial interrogation was only necessary for recording confessions or recovering physical material.

Justice Madhavi Devi strongly rejected this defense, questioning why Sandhya Bannuri, the other accused, was also left unarrested. "How can you give notice in an attempt to murder case? Why no arrest?" the judge asked.

The judge remarked that if custodial interrogation is only required for seizures, then the police should stop making arrests altogether. Pointing to the chargesheet, the judge noted that the investigation revealed Deeksha had procured the tablets in large quantities, and questioned how the police could argue there was no case against them without conducting a proper arrest or investigation.

Justice Madhavi Devi also criticized the concept of "friendly policing," noting that while ordinary citizens are frequently summoned and harassed by the police without any formal case, others receive selective hospitality. "This is not done. Do it for everybody. Friendly police to some and not to some others. Is this how you work?" the judge remarked.

The High Court directed the government pleader to file a detailed counter-explanation by the next hearing, outlining the reasons for the lack of arrests and clarifying the "special category" to which the accused belong.