CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Coimbatore Q Branch police not to seek further custody of the five suspected Maoists, who were arrested at Coimbatore on May 5.
Stating that most of the custody period is over, Justice MM Sundresh directed the Q branch police not to file any application seeking police custody of the five nabbed from the outskirts of Coimbatore last week.
The arrested five, including suspected Maoist leader Roopesh and his wife Shyna, moved the HC stating that the cases against them were foisted and sought their custody orders to be stayed immediately. On May 6, a Coimbatore court sent them to 10 days of police custody.
Charging that their custody to Q Branch police was a futile exercise, which would lead to enormous pressure and third degree methods to extract involuntary confessions violating fundamental rights of the accused, the alleged rebels said that the sessions court failed to note that the material seized by police from their possession, such as mobile phone, tab and cash, had nothing to do with terrorist activities.
“The sessions court had vaguely stated that it had no hesitation to send the petitioners to five to 10 day police custody as the offences alleged against them were against the Government of India. The reasoning is hardly sufficient to entrust the five petitioners into the custody of Q Branch police, which is known for torture and encounter deaths,” they said in the petition.