CHENNAI: Seven years after a Kanniyakumari man was allegedly harassed by the police, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Thursday ordered a compensation of `1 lakh to him.
M Merlinkumar said in his petition that a case was registered against him, his mother and sister at the Kuzhithurai AWPS after his estranged wife lodged a dowry harassment complaint. He and his family got anticipatory bail on the condition of appearing in the AWPS every day.
Accordingly, when Merlinkumar and his family members appeared at the AWPS in September 2011, Krishnamoorthi, Special Sub-Inspector attached to the Marthandam police station in Kanniyakumari district, allegedly took Merlinkumar to the Marthandam station and kept him in lock-up. Later on the same day, he said, he was not only stripped but when he asked for water, Krishnamoorthi and Gopinathan, SSI, Marthandam police station passed urine in a silver vessel and gave it to him. When he refused, they poured it over his head and kicked him, he stated.
In their counter affidavit, the police denied the allegation. “On the basis of the complaint filed by the complainant’s wife against the complainant, a case in Marthandam PS Cr.No.1031/2011 U/s 294(b),447,427 &; 506(i) of IPC was registered on 23.09.2011. The second respondent took the case for investigation and arrested the complainant on 23.09.2011 at 12.30 pm and remanded to judicial custody,” they stated.
After perusing the available documents, the bench headed by D Jayachandran observed, “Considering the oral and documentary evidence of the parties and also the written arguments of both parties, this Commission is of the considered opinion that the complainant has proved that he was assaulted by the respondents on 16.09.2011 and 23.09.2011 as alleged in the complaint.”He also ordered disciplinary action against Krishnamoorthi, Gopinathan and Janaki, Sub-Inspector of Police of the Marthandam police station.
Case history
A case was registered against him, his mother and sister at the Kuzhithurai AWPS on a dowry harassment complaint. He and his family got conditional anticipatory bail