Can I claim compensation for wrongful arrest or detention by police?

Yes, wrongful arrest or detention — particularly where it's later established there was no genuine legal basis for it, or the proper procedural safeguards weren't followed — can give rise to a claim for compensation, since it amounts to a violation of your fundamental right to personal liberty.

You can pursue this through a writ petition before the High Court seeking compensation for the constitutional rights violation, and/or a civil suit for damages for wrongful confinement, depending on the specific circumstances and how serious and clear-cut the wrongfulness of the detention was.

Courts have, in various cases involving clear police misconduct or negligence leading to wrongful detention, awarded meaningful compensation, particularly where there's a clear failure to exercise reasonable care in verifying identity before detaining someone. Document everything you can about the detention — how long it lasted, what was said to you, and the eventual circumstances of your release — and consult a lawyer promptly to assess pursuing this claim.