THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Close on the heels of the death of a youth in a hospital at Varapuzha allegedly due to custodial torture by the police, the State Human Rights Commission has ordered the government to take immediate action against all police officers accused in criminal cases in the state. The commission also sought the government to immediately inform it about the details of ‘criminals’ in police force.
The Home Department has recently found that a total of 1,129 police officers were named as accused in criminal cases. The commission also ordered the government to invoke Section-86 of Kerala Police Act against the accused officers. P Mohanadas, the commission acting chairman has also sought the Home Secretary and DGP to submit a report in this regard within 30 days.
As per section 86(1) of Kerala Police Act, the police personnel who are involved in the criminal cases should be suspended from service. The rule also stipulates the officers should be dismissed from service if found to be guilty in the case.
Mohanadas also criticised the top police officers for not taking any action as per the rules against the 1,129 accused officers. The commission also urged the police to replace the accused officers at the earliest.
The commission also registered a suo motu case based on the RTI reply obtained by RTI activist and lawyer, D B Binu. The information given in the RTI reply was shocking, the Commission observed. In the RTI, a total of 250 police officers who are involved in criminal cases are in Thiruvananthapuram.
The panel to identify the criminals in the police force was made by the Police Department in 2011 following an order from High Court. In Thiruvananthapuram, as many as 230 sub-inspectors, 46 circle inspectors, and 10 DySPs are involved in criminal cases. The commission also observed that the police were keener to torture people from the lower strata of society.
Key witness’ son indicts CPM
Kochi: The probe into the arrest of Sreejith as a case of mistaken identity took a U-turn on Thursday with the son of a key witness in the case alleging his father had been listed as a witness under political pressure. Sarath said his father P M Parameswaran, a local CPM branch committee member, had been away when the attack on Vasudevan’s house took place. “When the incident took place my father was at his work place. It was due to pressure from the CPM local leadership he had given a statement saying Sreejith and his gang had attacked Vasudevan’s house,” said Sarath.Sreejith was taken into custody in connection with attack on Vasudevan’s house.