India, April 3 -- New Delhi There should be "zero tolerance" for any abuse of authority or transgressions by the police forces against common citizens, the Supreme Court has asserted, emphasising that maintaining public confidence in law enforcement is paramount.

"The police are a very vital part of the State apparatus and have a direct bearing on the safety and security of the society at large and individuals in particular. The need, therefore, for maintaining the confidence of individuals and society-at-large in the police is paramount," underlined a bench comprising justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Prashant Kumar Mishra.

The court pointed out that the criminal jurisprudence of this country works on the cardinal principle of "innocen...