SHRC slaps Rs 5L fine on 3 cops, stops SI’s promotion
The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has asked the authorities to grant Rs 5 lakh compensation to a government employee who was assaulted by police. Observing that the then Villupuram town sub-inspector was a habitual offender, it also asked the government to instruct the DGP not to grant him promotions.
By : migrator
Update: 2019-09-16 21:48 GMT
Chennai
On November 23, 2008, D Jayaprakash Narayanan, an overseer in Villupuram municipality, received a call from his brother Dasaradhan saying that an unknown person stopped his two-wheeler and snatched the key.
Jayaprakash went to the spot and questioned the person, who claimed he was a police official, grabbed his collar. Jayaprakash told him that he was also a government servant, following which the other person, later identified as Ramalingam, then head constable of Villupuram town police station, pushed him and left the spot.
Later that day, then sub-inspector Kumar, Ramalingam and four other policemen went to Jayaprakash’s house and assaulted him. He was then taken to Villupuram West station, where he was allegedly beaten up again. When the then inspector Mani asked him to sign a statement, Jayaprakash refused, but they obtained his thumb impression on a paper by force.
On November 24, municipality chairman Janagaraj and others met him at the station. When presented at Villupuram court, the magistrate directed the police to provide him treatment. He was then taken to the Cuddalore Central Prison where he took treatment in the jail hospital till December 4, before being released on bail.
But the police officials denied the allegations, claiming that Jayaprakash, Dasaradhan and another person assaulted Ramalingam, on which a case was booked on November 23. They added that Jayaprakash was suspended from service for criminal activities.
Based on oral and documentary evidence, the Commission said Ramalingam was allegedly assaulted by Jayaprakash, Dasaradhan and another person. To take vengeance, the personnel misused their power. Jayaprakash was also suspended based on Mani’s report to the municipality, it noted.
After Jayaprakash’s counsel brought to its attention that this was the third case against SI Kumar – the Commission had recommended action in the previous cases – it recommended stringent action against him.
The Commission directed the State to pay Rs 5 lakh to Jayaprakash and recover Rs 1 lakh from Ramalingam and Rs 2 lakh each from Kumar and Mani. It also recommended to initiate disciplinary action against the officers and the State to give suitable instructions to the DGP to not grant any promotions to Kumar.
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