The Supreme Court on Wednesday reprimanded Uttar Pradesh Police for failing to ensure that persons granted bail by a court of law, including itself, were not promptly released.

The top court directed PC Meena, the Director-General (Personnel) of UP Police to conduct a statewide video conference with officers to ensure the court’s orders on bail are not countered by ‘vested interest’ masquerading as ‘nit-picking’ of the instructions to release someone.

The top court also directed the UP government to pay Rs 5 lakh as compensation to a man it had granted bail on May 27 but was not released till an irate court intervened Tuesday.

Suspecting ‘vested interests’ in keeping the man jailed, the Supreme Court also ordered a judicial inquiry by the Principal District and Sessions Judge of Ghaziabad.