Oops in Firozabad: Police Officer Confuses Judge with Thief

Agra, 14th April 2025: In a bizarre blunder that has left the local police force red-faced, a sub-inspector in Firozabad ended up trying to serve a court order meant for a theft accused — to the very magistrate who issued it.

The incident unfolded on March 23, when Sub-Inspector Banwarilal, assigned to deliver a court proclamation in a decades-old case, mistakenly identified Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Nagma Khan as the accused.

The court had directed police to trace and issue a proclamation against one Rajkumar alias Pappu, who is facing charges of theft and wrongful restraint dating back to 2001. However, instead of locating Rajkumar, SI Banwarilal submitted a report stating that “accused Nagma Khan” could not be found at her residence.

The absurdity came to light during a court hearing the next day. According to court records dated March 24, Banwarilal appeared before the bench and calmly reported that “the accused” — referring to the judge — was not present at home when he went to serve the notice, and sought further directions.

The court was quick to note the glaring mistake. “The officer has clearly failed to read the proclamation notice with the attention it demands,” stated the court in its order. “Mistaking the judge for the accused is not only a serious lapse, but also reveals a disturbing lack of understanding of basic duties expected of a police officer.”

Speaking on the matter, a senior official from the Firozabad police department said, “SI Banwarilal has been relieved from his duties and attached to police lines. A departmental inquiry has been initiated to probe the matter further.”

The mix-up has sparked concern about the procedural training given to field officers. A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, remarked, “This kind of negligence is rare, but when it happens, it damages the credibility of the entire system. Basic checks must be in place to prevent such missteps.”

While the incident has become a source of amusement on social media, it has also highlighted the need for better document handling and protocol awareness among law enforcement personnel.