Kochi: The High Court has directed the State Government to pay ₹14 lakh as compensation in a case where a Gulf returnee, who had come home for his daughter’s wedding, was wrongfully arrested in a jewellery theft case and imprisoned for 54 days. The significant order was issued by Justice P M Manoj under the Public Law Remedy framework.

The compensation is to be paid to V K Thajudheen of Thalassery in Kannur and his family. The government may decide whether to recover this amount from those responsible for the wrongful imprisonment — P Biju, who was then the Sub-Inspector at Chakkarakal Police Station in Kannur, and ASIs Yogesh and T Unnikrishnan, among others. The petition was filed through Adv T Aasaf Ali.

According to the order, ₹10 lakh must be paid to Thajudheen, while his wife Nasreena V K and three children are to receive ₹1 lakh each. The court observed that police personnel must not engage in irresponsible actions.

Thajudheen, who was employed in Qatar, had arrived in Kerala on June 25, 2018 for leave. On the night of July 11, the police detained him and his family and took them to the station, claiming that a person seen in CCTV footage stealing a gold chain while arriving on a motorbike was Thajudheen. A subsequent investigation, however, revealed that the theft was committed by a man named Sarath Valsaraj.

Following the wrongful arrest, Thajudheen was also imprisoned in Qatar for 23 days due to the resultant delay in his return, leading to the loss of his job. The court noted that compensation through Public Law Remedy becomes necessary when government agencies violate citizens’ rights.