Allahabad High Court Calls Kanpur Police Commissioner Over Alleged Hotel Looting, Seeks Personal Affidavit

The investigation into the alleged destruction and looting of a hotel in Kanpur has come under the scrutiny of the Allahabad High Court, which has decided to seek an explanation directly from the city’s top police officer.

The court has directed Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal to appear before it personally and submit an affidavit detailing the steps taken in the case.

The intervention follows concerns raised by a Division Bench of Justices Ajay Bhanot and Divesh Chandra Samant over the manner in which the police have investigated the allegations.

The judges indicated that the circumstances emerging from the available material called for oversight at the highest level of the district police administration.

The court’s order also requires that the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), based in Lucknow, be furnished with a copy. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on November 26.

The proceedings stem from a petition filed by Preeti Bajpai, the owner of Hotel Negi Grand, who approached the High Court seeking an impartial investigation into an incident reported in November last year.

She alleged that a group of people arrived at the hotel with a JCB machine, pulled down part of a wall, and subsequently damaged the property and removed belongings.

Bajpai maintained that video recordings of the episode had become available, but the local police initially did not register a criminal case.

An FIR was eventually lodged at Rawatpur police station after intervention by senior police officials. The petitioner has also accused Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Kapil Dev Singh of having a direct role in the alleged incident.

The High Court’s attention was drawn to material contained in the case diary, particularly an entry dated April 16, 2026.

The recorded account referred to CCTV footage and videos made by members of the public, which allegedly captured a JCB being used to break down a section of the hotel’s boundary or wall while several people remained present at the location.

The documented damage reportedly extended well beyond the demolished structure.

The case diary referred to alleged destruction of windows, doors, cupboards, television sets and surveillance equipment, including CCTV cameras and the digital video recorder used to store footage.

It also recorded allegations that various articles were taken away from the hotel.

Of particular concern to the court was the reference to police personnel being present or moving around the premises during the episode.

These details have raised questions about the possible involvement of members of the police force and the adequacy of the investigation into their alleged conduct.

The judges were not satisfied with the explanation submitted through the investigating officer.

In an order dated October 24, the Bench indicated that the investigation, as presented before it, did not adequately address the seriousness of the allegations or the material already recorded in the case diary.

The decision to summon the Police Commissioner personally reflects the court’s expectation that the matter should no longer be dealt with merely through routine investigative reporting.

By seeking an affidavit from the senior-most police officer in Kanpur, the Bench has sought direct accountability for the progress and credibility of the investigation.

The next hearing on November 26 is expected to bring the Police Commissioner’s explanation before the court, which will examine whether the investigation has addressed the allegations of property destruction, alleged theft and possible police complicity.