The Bombay high court has directed the Silvassa police to publish an apology for releasing the picture of a man involved in a civil dispute. The man, Hasmukhbhai Patel, had taken a loan of Rs21.75 lakh from one Kirtibhai Patel against an ancestral property. On Kirtibhai's suggestion the agreement was made for sale of the property and this became a dispute when Kirtibhai insisted on going through with the sale.

On the complaint by Kirtibhai, the metropolitan court ordered the police to initiate criminal proceedings. Hasmukhbhai secured bail from the sessions court, which observed that this was a civil matter. Still, the police released a statement along with Hasmukhbhai's picture. On Tuesday, a division bench of judges VM Kanade and PD Kode said such an incident should not have happened.

"Issue the apology and see that it is printed on page one of the newspapers," judge Kanade said.