📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / AndyScott
Religion
Former Constable Turned Baba Returns to Police Uniform After 27-Year Legal Fight
✍️ NDTV
🗓 03 Sep 2026, 05:32 AM
👁 27
A former police constable who became a baba has been allowed to wear his uniform again after a 27‑year court battle.
A court ruling has permitted a former police constable, who had taken up the life of a baba, to don his police uniform once more after a protracted 27‑year legal dispute. The decision marks the end of one of the longest civil battles involving a former law‑enforcement officer in the country.
The constable left active service years ago to pursue spiritual activities, adopting the title of baba and establishing a following. During his absence from the force, he filed petitions seeking the right to retain his uniform as part of his identity, a fight that stretched across multiple courts and appeals.
Judges concluded that the former officer’s request did not contravene any service regulations and that his continued association with the uniform was permissible. The verdict has been welcomed by his devotees, who view the uniform as a symbol of his dual role as a guardian of law and a spiritual guide.
Legal experts note that the case highlights the complexities of post‑service rights for police personnel, especially when personal transformations intersect with official symbols. The ruling may set a precedent for similar petitions in the future.
The constable left active service years ago to pursue spiritual activities, adopting the title of baba and establishing a following. During his absence from the force, he filed petitions seeking the right to retain his uniform as part of his identity, a fight that stretched across multiple courts and appeals.
Judges concluded that the former officer’s request did not contravene any service regulations and that his continued association with the uniform was permissible. The verdict has been welcomed by his devotees, who view the uniform as a symbol of his dual role as a guardian of law and a spiritual guide.
Legal experts note that the case highlights the complexities of post‑service rights for police personnel, especially when personal transformations intersect with official symbols. The ruling may set a precedent for similar petitions in the future.