Cops in the dock for shielding murder accused

A ranchi court has ordered that murder charges be lodged against four Jharkhand police officers, including two senior officials.

A ranchi court has ordered that murder charges be lodged against four Jharkhand police officers, including two senior officials. They are accused of not recording the statement of a tribal woman who was allegedly burnt to death by four men last year.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Ghanshayam Das Mallick ruled on Friday that the officers, SP Tadasha Mishra, Deputy SP Shailendra Kumar, Officer in-Charge of Ormanjhi police station Manibhushan Prasad and Sub Inspector Raja Ram, had conspired to let the accused responsible for the murder go scot free.8221;Let their names be enlisted for prosecution8221;, ordered Mallick.

On January 4, 2006, Poonam Toppo 35 was allegedly overpowered by Hayat Ansari, Feroz Ansari, Ramesh Sahu and Jakir Ansari near Ormanjhi and set afire. Toppo was admitted in a hospital where the doctor attending her called Prasad and Ormanjhi BDO Sanjay. Toppo narrated the entire incident to Prasad and Sanjay and said the accused 8220;wanted to kill me so that they could take possession of my property8221;.

The police nabbed the four accused but instead of detaining them, Prasad and Ram released them the next day when Toppo was shifted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences.

After advocate Amar Kumar lodged a complaint case on January 6, the court ordered the police to record her statement in front of a magistrate. But the police did not comply and on January 21, Toppo died.

The court directed Mishra and Kumar to inquire why its directive was not followed. The officers informed the court that her statement could not be recorded because the investigating officer Ram was 8220;on leave8221;. Also a letter dated February 11 authorised by Mishra stated, 8220;There was no evidence against the accused8221;.

After going through the details CJM Mallick ordered that murder charges be lodged against these police officers as well as the accused. The next hearing will take place on July 2.