Rights team cries foul

VADODARA, Dec 13: A team of civil rights organisations, including the PUCL, has alleged that two more illegalities were committed by the ...

VADODARA, Dec 13: A team of civil rights organisations, including the PUCL, has alleged that two more illegalities were committed by the accused sub-inspector and policemen in the Shinor torture case.

The inquiry report on the gory incident, which was given out on Sunday, notes that the tribal woman was arrested and taken to the Shinor police station at 8 p.m. on November 27 by two male policemen. The law stipulates that a woman arrested after sunset must be accompanied by a female police officer, which was not the case here.

The team also found that the woman was confined at the police station from November 27 to November 30, prior to being produced before a magistrate. She should have been produced within 24 hours.

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The inquiry committee, comprising representatives of the PUCL, Swashraya, Sahiyar, Inquilabi Communist Sangathan, Rajya General Kamdar Mandal and Samajik Nyay Kendra, also noted that police were taking the statements of the tribal woman “casually”, giving the impression that the investigation was superficial. “Though the DSP (Rural) has said that the investigation will be transparent and impartial, this did not come out during the primary inquiry,” the report states.

While the report does not explain the basis for forming such an impression, when questioned DSP (Rural) Shamsher Singh said “We have not only promised them to give all the necessary information and show all documents pertaining to the case, but have also asked them to give us suggestions and point out any lapse in our investigation which we could include.”

Instructions to the DSPs of Gandhinagar and Mehsana as well as to Mansa police in North Gujarat to search for and arrest PSI Pradip Chaudhary, who belongs to that region.

Meanwhile, an identification parade of 13 constables attached to the Shinor police station was carried out before the tribal woman at the Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad Hospital, but she has not identified any other policeman in the case.

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On Saturday, she had named two head constables and three constables as being involved in her torture.

They were suspended and arrested during the day and produced before a magistrate in Dabhoi on Sunday. The magistrate rejected their bail application and ordered their detention in judicial custody.

Asked about the medical report of the victim, the DSP said the SSG Hospital was still to submit it to the police.