Inter-state Police Cooperation: Challenges, Policy Framework, and the Way Forward

By Aditi Dehal & Mrigank Patel

October 4, 2022
Download article

ABSTRACT

Interstate police arrest procedures of police are increasingly being discussed in public discourse. Recently, a news anchor made headlines in light of a tussle between the Chhattisgarh police and Uttar Pradesh police for his arrest. In May this year, the Delhi police and Punjab police faced similar public scrutiny over the arrest of a politician. In this context, exploring instances of non-cooperation between police authorities and inter-state arrests becomes relevant. The rules and regulations on arrest and the jurisdiction of police authorities need to be analysed for a clearer understanding, and further policy decisions. 

While provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1973 are pivotal, other policies and guidelines also hold relevance. Through analysing the judgments of the Supreme Court and High Courts, this issue brief sheds light on the political motivations that impact the independence of police machinery and catalyse instances of non-cooperation. Lastly, the brief will recommend changes in the policy framework that can reduce instances of police non-cooperation, way forward to interstate police cooperation, protect the rights of the accused, and facilitate the maintenance of law and order. 

KEYWORDS: Code Of Criminal Procedure, Police Cooperation, Inter-state Arrest, Geographical Jurisdiction, Political Influence 

 

INTRODUCTION 

July witnessed a tussle between the Chhattisgarh police and Uttar Pradesh police over the arrest of Zee News anchor Rohit Ranjan who allegedly made misleading statements in the news about a politician from the Indian National Congress. Similarly, in 2021, the arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi by the cyber-crime unit of the Delhi Police sparked controversy since they detained Ravi without informing the local Bengaluru police. Such instances of non-cooperation between police authorities are not solitary but part of a trend. Such occurrences are primarily seen when police authorities arrested the accused from a state outside its jurisdiction without following due process, resulting in non-cooperation with other police authorities.


Default Author Image

Aditi Dehal

Default Author Image

Mrigank Patel

Found this post insightful? Share it with your network and help spread the knowledge.

Suggested Reads

The Growing Cost of Fast Fashion and Synthetic Clothing

By Uditi Kalra

Introduction  India’s textile industry is 5,000 years old and remains the “spinning wheel” of the country’s industrial and economic growth. As a global leader in fibre-to-fashion, India accounts for 4 per cent of global textile and apparel trade (Department of Textiles, Government of Maharashtra, and Primus Partners, 2025). Behind those numbers lies a reality of […]

Demystifying Petrol Prices in India (2017–2026): Taxation, Price Transmission, and State-Level Divergence

By Anubhav Kashyap

Introduction  To categorise petrol as being just another commodity, would understate its significance. Long before it became a household expense, it served as an instrument of industrial expansion, military strategy, and statecraft. From the oil shocks of the 1970s to the Gulf Wars and more recently, the disruptions following the Russia–Ukraine and West Asia conflicts, […]

Forest-Dwelling Indigenous Communities, Land Rights, and Conflicts

By Anusha Arif

Forest-dwelling communities share a deep relationship with nature, but more than that, they bear witness to history and provide insight into the management of forests. According to the State of Forests Report of 2019, approximately 300 million people are dependent on forests in India (PIB Delhi, 2023). The romanticisation of indigenous, forest-dwelling communities often limits […]

Integrated Solutions for Interconnected Challenges: Building Climate Resilience in India

By Faraz Rupani

Rising global temperatures are intensifying climate hazards at an unprecedented rate. In 2025, the global annual average temperature increase reached 1.44 ± 0.09 °C (2.60 ± 0.17 °F) above the pre-industrial period, making it the third warmest year on record (Berkeley Earth, 2026). India, among the most climate vulnerable countries, experienced extreme weather events on 99 […]

India-UK Vision 2035: A Renewed Defence Partnership

By Saniya Kulkarni

Introduction The recently concluded India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is a landmark deal in the growing strategic partnership between the two countries across wide-ranging industries including fintech, renewable energy, education, and even film production. A key aspect of this revitalised economic relationship is the ‘India-UK Vision 2035’, a roadmap for renewed defence partnership, forging a […]