BANGALORE: Dismissing former Director General of Police Shankar M Bidari’s review petition, the High Court on Monday said the findings show that allegation by Lakshmi of rape by the Special Task Force (STF) headed by Bidari is proved. The woman must have been subjected to some form of torture, including outraging of modesty, by the STF. Similarly, Erammal has suffered indignity.
“Particulars of torture have been clearly set out and this would show that the Special Task Force commanded by Bidari committed rape, torture, disrobing of women, giving electrical current and other excesses as set out therein,” the bench observed.
“The finding that the allegations of encounter deaths cannot be brushed aside as baseless. Firing seems to have been done at very close range and 12 connected cases in which the victims had been fired at from both sides the front as well as back,” the bench observed.
“The finding that the excesses committed by the Special Task Force in the course of interrogation is brazen violation of human rights cannot be justified. Therefore, the aforesaid panel report and the orders passed by the NHRC which upheld the findings in the report and recommended for payment of compensation constitutes relevant and material information and data which ought to have been placed before the UPSC by the state,” the High Court bench said.
Background
The Supreme Court had on March 25 set aside a High Court order on Bidari’s removal, adding that the state was, however, free to appoint anyone of its choice as the DGP. The court further stated that the court should decide on the matter before May 31, when Bidari and Infant are due to retire from service. Bidari had filed the petition in the wake of the recent verdict by the Supreme Court directing the Karnataka High Court to review the case. On April 24, the apex court had stayed the Karnataka High Court order quashing Bidari’s appointment as the DGP.
Shankar Bidari’s appointment was challenged by another DGP A R Infant who is one year senior to Bidari but was bypassed. Infant had alleged that Bidari was appointed despite the black mark on his service record related to atrocities committed during his stint as the head of the task force to nab Veerappan.
The Central Administrative Tribunal had upheld Infant’s case. Bidari and the govt had challenged this in the High Court.