V.S. Karthikeyan vs The State Of Andhra Pradesh & Ors.

This writ petition is filed by the petitioner to direct the respondent No.5 not to interfere in the civil disputes in respect of the suit in O.S.No.267 of 2025 on the file of the learned IV Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division), Chittoor.

Case of the petitioner is that due to disputes between petitioner and respondent Nos.6 & 7, respondent Nos.6 & 7 filed suit in O.S.No.267 of 2025, seeking temporary injunction restraining the petitioner herein from property and the same is pending on the file of the learned IV Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division), Chittoor. Though there are civil disputes, respondent No.5 is frequently instructing the petitioner to settle the matter and also giving threats to the petitioner to yield their request so as to help the respondent Nos.6 and 7. Though the petitioner informed to the police that civil dispute is pending, they have been continuously harassing the petitioner.

Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home filed written instructions stating that there are civil disputes among both the parties and basing on the report of the petitioner, a case in Crime No.32 of 2025 of the offences under Sections 329(3), 324 (4), 196(1) (a) r/w 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita is registered and after completion of investigation, the same is referred as ‘false’ as no prima facie case is made out against the accused. Further, they never called the petitioner to the police station, never instructed to settle the matter and never involved in the civil disputes.

Heard Sri Shaik Afzal Mohammed, learned counsel for the petitioner, and Sri K. Mallikharjuna Rao, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the writ petition may be disposed of by directing the respondent police not to interfere with the civil disputes between the petitioner and respondent Nos.6 & 7.

Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home submitted that, the respondent police have neither called the petitioner to police station nor threatened him to settle the matter.

Admittedly, there are civil disputes between both the parties. Respondent Nos.6 & 7 filed suit in O.S.No.267 of 2025, seeking temporary injunction restraining the petitioner from the subject property and the same is pending on the file of the learned IV Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division), Chittoor. In this regard, it is to be mentioned that it is well settled that police cannot interfere in civil disputes and the Hon’ble Apex Court repeatedly held that when the dispute is purely of civil nature, jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution cannot be exercised and further, when the dispute between two citizens is of civil nature and no crime is registered, police have no jurisdiction to interfere in the civil dispute. It is also settled that in the scheme of Constitution of India, duty to resolve civil dispute is entrusted to judiciary and police have no such power and involvement of police in a pending civil dispute or potential civil dispute between two citizens or two groups of citizens is not within the provisions of the police.

Learned Assistant Government Pleader submitted that the police would not interfere in the civil disputes pending between the petitioner and respondent Nos.6 & 7. Having considered the undertaking given by the police that they won’t interfere in the civil disputes, except in accordance with law, this court is of the considered view that this writ petition may be disposed of.

In the result, this Writ Petition is disposed of with a direction to respondent Nos.2, 3 & 5 not to interfere with the civil disputes pending between the petitioner and the respondent Nos.6 & 7 except in accordance with law. It is made clear that this order shall not prevent the respondent police from taking any action strictly in accordance with law if the facts and circumstances warrant such action. There shall be no order as to costs.

As a sequel thereto, the pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed.