Cops involved only in 4 cases: state to HC

Of the 24 custodial deaths that occurred across the state between January 2008 and March 2009,the state government has owned up to four deaths caused by police brutality or negligence.

In a PIL filed by the India Centre for Human Rights and Law,drawing the courts attention to the increasing number of custodial deaths in the state,an affidavit filed by deputy secretary home department S C Mondkar was tendered to the Bombay High Court earlier this month by public prosecutor P A Pol. The affidavit states that of the 24 custodial deaths that occurred in various police lock-ups and jails over 14 months,action was taken against police officers in four cases. While punishment has been handed out to the officers in two cases,offence has been registered in one,and in the other the officers have been suspended while facing departmental inquiry.

Mondkars affidavit states that in 11 cases,police have not been involved as although in custody,these deaths were natural,sudden or suicidal. The report determining the cause of death is awaited in seven cases of custodial deaths.

Policemen have been held accountable for the deaths of Nilesh Dhul on March 14,2008,in Akola,Sarjerao Jadhav at Beed on April 20,2008,Subhash Kshirsagar in Osmananbad on October 2,2008,and Babarao Bobade in Amravati on October 21,2008. Of the 24 deaths,eight were suicides committed in police custody.

Advocates Vijay Hiremath and Rebecca Gonsalves had written a letter to the Chief Justice of the High Court in November 2003 raising an alarm about 117 custodial deaths in Maharashtra between 2002-03. They had drawn the courts attention to 10 custodian deaths between August and November 2003. The court had later sought figures from the government of custodial deaths post 2008. The court was also informed about the four custodial deaths in October 2010,of which three occurred in Mumbai,two at the JJ Marg Police Station and one at VP Road Police Station.

The letter to the Chief Justice was converted into a criminal PIL that sought suspension of police officers involved in the custodial deaths and adequate compensation for the victims families.

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