Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Cops asked to pay ₹3L to man for custodial torture

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:22.01.2019

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the government to pay ₹3 lakh as compensation to the manager of a city-based restaurant and another ₹1 lakh to his son, as they had been subjected to torture and human rights violations by police, including an assistant commissioner. Besides ordering recovery of the amount from the salaries of the personnel concerned, SHRC said appropriate criminal and departmental proceedings should be initiated against them.

D Jayachandran, member of SHRC, passed the order while allowing a complaint moved by G Ravi, manager of Saravana Bhavan Hotel’s George Town branch. The commission also directed the commission to recover the amount from the personal funds of Adhimoolam, inspector of police, Sankar Nagar, Chennai; Alagu, assistant commissioner of police, Saidapet; Krishnakumar, sub-inspector of police, Mangadu; and Lawrence, SSI, Mangadu.

This apart, the SHRC has also recommended the state initiate appropriate departmental and criminal prosecution against the officers. According to the complainant, his wife Ambika, who was a whistle blower and had exposed fraudulent occurrences in Kancheepuram Central Co-operative Bank, Porur, was murdered by two identifiable people in police uniform on January 24, 2012, in the presence of her son.

On January 25, 2012, the complainant and his son were taken to Mangadu by two policemen and illegally detained. He was made to kneel down and assaulted. His minor son was also subjected to cruelty compelling the complainant to give a confession owning up the murder.

He was kept in illegal detention from January 25, 2012, to February 4, 2012, in Mangadu police station and continuously tortured by police by using various third-degree methods. He was released on February 7, 2012 after his family members ‘signed’ a statement that police handed over the complainant safely.

Denying the allegation, the police officials submitted that since the complainant was the husband of the deceased Ambika, he was called for enquiry regarding the motive for the murder. The police had registered a case and made an inquiry and action was taken against the persons involved in the offence. Hence there were no question of violation of human rights arose against the Complainant, they claimed.

The police concerned followed the directives of the apex court and they had not violated the human rights of the complainant and his son. Therefore, the complaint is devoid of merits and the same is liable to be dismissed, they added.

Disbelieving their submissions, the commission allowed the complaint and ordered the compensation.

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