MP High Court Quashes Suspension of Cop Who Raided IAS Officer’s Farmhouse

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has set aside the suspension of Sub-Inspector Lokendra Singh Hihore, observing that punishing a police officer for carrying out a successful raid sends a dangerous message to law enforcement authorities across the State.

The case arose after Hihore, who was serving as Station House Officer at Manpur police station in Indore district, conducted a late-night raid on a farmhouse in Gram Avlipura on March 10–11, 2026. Acting on intelligence inputs, the police allegedly uncovered a large-scale gambling operation involving more than twenty persons. Cash, mobile phones, and vehicles were seized during the raid. It later emerged that the farmhouse belonged to an IAS officer posted with the Madhya Pradesh Finance Corporation.

Soon after the FIR was registered, Hihore was suspended by the Superintendent of Police on allegations of negligence and failure to curb illegal activities. Challenging the order before the High Court, the officer claimed he had faced pressure to conceal the actual location of the raid and was targeted for refusing to alter official records.

Justice Jai Kumar Pillai found the suspension order arbitrary, vindictive, and lacking proper application of mind. The Court noted that the State failed to show any grave misconduct on the officer’s part and observed that allowing such actions to continue would discourage officers from conducting lawful raids in future.