The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the Tamil Nadu government and the Madras High Court on the arrest and suspension of Additional Director General of Police HM Jayaram in connection with his alleged involvement in the abduction of a 17-year-old boy, Live Law reported.

A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan was hearing an anticipatory bail petition filed by Jayaram against the High Court’s order that had directed his arrest.

“He is a senior police officer,” the bench was quoted as saying by The Hindu. “These kinds of orders are shocking and demoralising.”

Bhuyan said that orders such as the one passed by the Madras High Court were shocking. “I have been a judge for 18 years,” he was quoted as saying by Live Law. “I never knew I had this power [to direct arrest].”

While Jayaram’s counsel told the Supreme Court that he had been formally arrested, the state government maintained that he was not arrested but had merely joined the investigation, Bar and Bench reported.

The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on Thursday. The state government’s counsel has been directed to seek instructions on whether Jayaram’s suspension order would be revoked.

Jayaram was taken into custody on Monday, shortly after the Madras High Court ordered his arrest in a kidnapping case that also names Kilvaithinakuppam MLA Poovai M Jagan Moorthy as a suspect, The Hindu reported.

The High Court passed the order while hearing an anticipatory bail application filed by Moorthy.

The case stems from a police complaint filed by a woman named Lakshmi, whose elder son married a woman from Theni district against the wishes of her family. Fearing retaliation, the couple went into hiding. In a bid to trace them, members of the woman’s family, allegedly with the help of hired men, abducted Lakshmi’s younger son from their home, Live Law reported.

The 17-year-old boy was later found abandoned near a hotel with visible injuries. During the investigation, police discovered that an official vehicle linked to Jayaram was allegedly used in the abduction, The News Minute reported.

The woman’s family had reportedly also sought help from Moorthy. The MLA is accused of being involved in the abduction and is also alleged to have later prevented the police from questioning him by having party supporters gather around his residence.