BHUBANESWAR: Two police officers of Berhampur have been booked by the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of Odisha Police for allegedly torturing a 24-year-old youth in custody for about two weeks last year in August.
The HRPC in Cuttack has registered an FIR against Berhampur town SDPO Priyas Ranjan Chhotray and Badabazar police station IIC Baba Shankar Saraf over wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement and causing hurt to Mustakim Khan after they picked him from a house in Raghunathpur in Bhubaneswar.
The FIR also mentioned some other cops of Badabazar police station and Berhampur Special Squad for their involvement in the case. An inquiry into the matter was launched after Khan filed a writ petition in Orissa High Court alleging he was tortured during custody of Berhampur police.
Investigation by the human rights cell of state police revealed that Khan was picked up by Berhampur and Nandankanan police from his female friend’s house in Raghunathpur on August 12. A day later, he was handed over to Badabazar police station and kept in illegal detention till August 23 without being produced before a magistrate.
Khan was shown as arrested by Chhotray and Saraf on August 23 and produced before a court. However, the police officers could not provide any justification over Khan’s prolonged illegal detention.
Khan lodged a complaint with the DGP claiming he was picked up by the police without any arrest warrant or disclosing any reason. He alleged that the police officers, including Saraf, mercilessly beat him up and even attempted to inject petrol into his private parts and veins. Khan was reportedly denied food and water and was forced to confess his involvement in a case registered by Badabazar police.
In his complaint, Khan mentioned that the police stopped harassing him after they came to know that his mother had filed an application at SDJM Court in Berhampur regarding his illegal detention. The policemen then provided him painkillers and ointment so that the injury marks were not visible during his medical examination before being produced in a court, he stated.
However, no inquiry was ordered by the State Police Headquarters, following which Khan filed a writ petition in this regard in Orissa HC.
The HRPC inquiry found that Khan was illegally, arbitrarily and unconstitutionally detained from August 12 to August 23. Chhotray, Saraf, the investigating officer of the case and other police personnel were responsible for Khan’s wrongful confinement, read the FIR registered by HRPC police station on January 9.