Nagpur: In a significant turn of events, the Tehsil Police encountered a setback as the court ruled Ritika alias Ritu Dinesh Malu's arrest illegal, prompting immediate scrutiny of the Investigation Officer (IO) responsible.

Judge AV Khedkar-Garad of the 7th JMFC (Court No 4) Nagpur declared Ritika's arrest unlawful on Tuesday, citing procedural lapses. Ritika, who had evaded authorities for nearly four months following a fatal accident involving her Mercedes, was apprehended and produced in court.

The incident on February 25, where Ritika allegedly drove recklessly under the influence of alcohol, resulted in the tragic deaths of two individuals riding an Activa scooter. Despite the police's plea for custody to further investigate the matter, the court found fault with the IO's handling of Ritika's arrest.

According to the court, Ritika should have been re-arrested only after the bail granted to her was revoked by the issuing court, a legal procedure that was overlooked in this case. Consequently, the court ordered Ritika's immediate release and directed that a copy of the order be sent to the Police Commissioner for appropriate action against IO Police Inspector Sandeep Buwa.

The ruling highlighted the necessity under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for obtaining prior court permission before re-arresting a bail-granted individual. It also underscored allegations of evidence tampering and inconsistencies in Ritika's statements following the accident.