Kuala Lampur, March 18 -- In Sunil Gupta & Ors vs State Of Madhya Pradesh & Ors [1990] the Supreme Court of India was presented with yet another occasion to consider the practice of handcuffing persons under custody to and from the court.

Justice Pandian SR, who delivered the judgment of the Court, said:

"This Court on several occasions has made weighty pronouncements decrying and severely condemning the conduct of the escort police in handcuffing the prisoners without any justification.

"Inspite of it, it is very unfortunate that the Courts have to repeat and re-repeat to disapproval of unjustifiable handcuffing . [T]his kind of complaint cannot be dismissed as a daily sight to be pitied and buried but [must] be examined.

"[W]e must ...