Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has initiated disciplinary proceedings against IPS officer Rajdeepsinh Nakum over allegations linked to the public parading and assault of four handcuffed men in Surat on July 14.
The state government informed the Gujarat High Court on September 17 that a show-cause notice had been issued to Nakum, who was serving as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Surat City, at the time of the alleged incident.
The development came during the hearing of a public interest petition before a Division Bench comprising Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray.
Government Pleader G H Virk told the court that the Gujarat DGP had concurred with the findings of a preliminary inquiry conducted by the Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), Surat City.
The preliminary inquiry report had earlier been submitted before the High Court in a sealed cover.
Show-Cause Notice Issued Under All India Services Conduct Rules
According to the oral order dictated by the High Court, the Gujarat Home Department examined the preliminary inquiry material and the recommendation made by the Inspector General of Police (Law and Order).
The department formed a prima facie view that the conduct of the officer, while functioning as in-charge DCP Zone 2, attracted provisions of Rule 3(b)(1) and Rule 3(2) of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968.
On that basis, the Home Department issued a show-cause notice dated September 14, 2026 to Nakum.
The officer has been given 15 days to furnish his explanation.
The issuance of a show-cause notice marks the initiation of disciplinary proceedings. It does not, by itself, constitute a final finding of misconduct against the officer.
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What Happened in Surat on July 14?
The proceedings before the High Court relate to an incident in Surat on July 14, 2026, videos of which subsequently circulated widely on social media.
The videos purportedly showed Nakum and around 15–20 other police personnel parading four handcuffed men on a public road and repeatedly assaulting them with lathis.
The four men were identified as Ayaz Malek, Imran Khan, Rajik Shaikh and Shahrukh Shah.
They had been booked in a rioting and attempt-to-murder case at the Salabatpura police station in Surat.
The allegations against the police personnel became the subject of judicial scrutiny after the videos circulated publicly.
What Did Nakum Say About the Incident?
Following the incident, Nakum had told The Indian Express in July that criminal cases had been registered against the accused and alleged that they had created fear in their areas.
He said the men were paraded in their residential area so that residents would know that the police were vigilant and that such activities would not be tolerated.
The statement forms part of the officer’s explanation of the circumstances surrounding the incident; the disciplinary proceedings will examine the conduct in light of the preliminary inquiry and applicable service rules.
How the Gujarat High Court Took Up the Matter
The High Court proceedings originated from a representation addressed to Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal by advocate Utkarsh Dave on July 14.
Dave sought immediate judicial scrutiny of the videos circulating on social media, which allegedly showed the handcuffed men being paraded and beaten.
The representation alleged that the men were dragged by their hair, slapped and beaten in public under the supervision of senior police officers.
It argued that the alleged conduct violated Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
The representation also referred to safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court in the landmark D K Basu v State of West Bengal (1997) judgment and to earlier Gujarat High Court proceedings concerning the 2022 Kheda flogging incident.
HC Had Questioned Why Nakum Was Still in Surat
The High Court had already raised questions over Nakum’s continued posting in Surat during an earlier hearing.
On August 14, the court verbally told the state that “the least you must do” was to transfer Nakum out of Surat.
The observation came after the court considered the circumstances surrounding the July incident and the circulation of videos.
The court had noted that the incident had allegedly taken place in a public place and that the videos had circulated widely. It said the occurrence could therefore not simply be denied and that the inquiry would have to determine why the incident occurred and its gravity.
Preliminary Inquiry Submitted in Sealed Cover
The state subsequently placed the preliminary inquiry report before the High Court.
The report was prepared by the Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), Surat City, who conducted the inquiry.
In its August 21 order, the High Court recorded that it had perused the preliminary inquiry report dated August 20, which had been submitted in a sealed cover along with the affidavit of the officer who conducted the inquiry.
During the September 17 hearing, the Gujarat government informed the court that the DGP had concurred with the findings of that preliminary inquiry.
The report was then placed before the state Home Department along with the recommendation of the Inspector General of Police (Law and Order).
Why Was a Fresh Show-Cause Notice Issued?
During Thursday’s hearing, the state also responded to an oral query from the court regarding the disciplinary process.
Government Pleader G H Virk explained that, as per the convention followed by the Home Department, a show-cause notice is issued even when the officer has already had an opportunity to give a statement during the preliminary inquiry.
According to the state’s submission, dispensing with the show-cause notice could subsequently become a ground for litigation.
The government therefore proceeded with a formal show-cause notice after examining the preliminary inquiry material and the recommendations.
Gujarat HC Seeks Progress of Disciplinary Proceedings
The High Court has now directed the Gujarat government to place the progress of the disciplinary proceedings on record.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 19, 2026.
The next stage will therefore involve the state’s response to Nakum’s explanation and the progress of the disciplinary proceedings initiated through the September 14 show-cause notice.
At this stage, the proceedings concern allegations and a prima facie assessment under the applicable service rules. A final disciplinary finding has not been reported.
Case Puts Police Conduct Under Judicial Scrutiny
The Surat incident has also brought renewed attention to the limits governing police treatment of accused persons in custody or under arrest.
The representation before the High Court invoked the constitutional protections under Articles 14 and 21 and the safeguards recognised by the Supreme Court in D K Basu v State of West Bengal.
The Gujarat High Court’s earlier proceedings concerning the 2022 Kheda incident were also cited by the petitioner.
The present case is now moving on two parallel tracks: the High Court’s continuing judicial scrutiny of the incident and the Gujarat government’s disciplinary proceedings against the IPS officer.
The High Court’s October 19 hearing is expected to record the progress made in the departmental action following the show-cause notice.
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