Police Can’t Act as Recovery Agents

Hyderabad, July 9: In a significant ruling, the Telangana High Court has firmly stated that the police cannot be used as recovery agents in private financial disputes. The observation came during the hearing of a petition filed by V. Satish Kumar, a resident of Hyderabad, who sought police assistance to recover a loan he had extended to one P. Dinesh.

Satish had approached the local police after Dinesh defaulted on the repayment. However, the police refused to register an FIR, stating that the matter was civil in nature and did not warrant criminal intervention. Unhappy with this response, Satish escalated the issue to the High Court, seeking an order directing the police to act on his complaint and assist in recovering the money.

Justice T. Vinod Kumar, who presided over the hearing, dismissed the plea, asserting that police intervention in such matters would essentially reduce them to the role of private recovery agents — a role that falls outside the scope of their legal responsibilities. The judge underlined that financial disputes between private parties are civil issues and must be resolved through appropriate civil court channels.

“The police cannot be expected to act as recovery agents for private individuals. Their role is to enforce law and order, not to settle private debts,” Justice Kumar noted.

Following the court’s observations, the petitioner’s counsel requested permission to withdraw the petition, which was granted. Consequently, the case was dismissed.

This ruling reinforces the legal boundaries of police functions and reiterates the necessity for individuals involved in monetary disputes to seek redress through civil litigation rather than criminal proceedings.

Also Read: Telangana High Court Slams Rachakonda Police for Meddling in Civil Disputes