KOCHI: Soon, an independent investigation officer who has never served in Kerala Police will start probing complaints of custodial torture and other brutality by police personnel to help the State Police Complaints Authority (SPCA) take appropriate action against the erring personnel.
Decks have been cleared by the state government to appoint a Chief Investigation Officer exclusively for the SPCA to assist the authority to probe complaints lodged by the public against police personnel.
The move is aimed at ensuring an impartial probe into complaints against police personnel. Authority chairman Justice V K Mohanan said it was a long-pending demand of the SPCA to get an investigation wing to conduct probe into the complaints.
“The investigation officer will assist the SPCA in conducting a detailed investigation into each complaint received from the public against police personnel,” Justice Mohanan said.As per the notification issued for the appointment, the investigation wing will be entrusted with the task of investigating custodial violence including all forms of torture, both physical and mental torture inflicted upon a person in police custody by police personnel.
The officer should also prepare a draft investigation plan for early identification of issues by assessing the scope and determining the methodology and techniques required to carry out a thorough and effective investigation.
The tasks include obtaining facts or statements from complainants, witnesses and accused persons; recording interviews; organising scene search; analysing data, Station House general diary, technical information, medical and postmortem reports and inquest report to determine what additional information and investigative work are needed; recording progress of investigation; maintaining data files on suspects safely; and submitting timely reports to the SPCA chairperson.
The notification specifically says that the candidate should have worked in the rank of Superintendent of Police with agencies under the Central government like CBI and NIA and should not have served in Kerala Police.