A corrupt police officer’s refusal to file a First Information Report (FIR) can ruin the entire life of the victim. That is exactly what happened to R Senthil (35), a goldsmith based in Coimbatore.
After his employee stole gold from his workshop and the police refused to file an FIR, much less nab the culprit and recover the booty, he lost customers’ trust. Senthil is now a daily wage labourer.
The ordeal began in September 2009 when Sathish, an employee at his goldsmith workshop in Gandhipark area, stole about 80 sovereigns and absconded.
“Besides my 80 sovereign gold, Sathish also stole 270 grams of gold from another goldsmith, S Senthil. The mother of the accused lodged a fake complaint against us claiming we had kidnapped him. When the Selvapuram police took us to the station for enquiry, we were shocked to learn that a few personnel in the crime wing and a police sub-inspector were discussing the formula for sharing the booty obtained from Sathish,” claims R Senthil.
When both the goldsmiths argued that the gold was actually theirs, sub-inspector Sumathi allegedly told them to accept Rs 25,000 and not lodge a complaint.
“We were aghast. When the gold is ours, how can I merely accept Rs 25,000 and leave? We lodged a theft complaint against Sathish. But the sub-inspector refused file an FIR, warning that if we don’t accept Rs 25,000, we won’t get anything at all. She and another person who had loaned money to the accused shared the loot between themselves,” alleges S Senthil.
Repeated petitions to the city police commissioner did not yield results. Ultimately, an FIR was filed in July 2011 only after the duo approached the Madras High Court and obtained an order in their favour. After the FIR was filed, the case was transferred to the Big Bazaar police.
As investigations by inspector Mariamuthu revealed misconduct on the part of sub-inspector Sumathi, a departmental enquiry was ordered. She is currently under suspension.
However, R Senthil is yet to get back the gold he lost.
“It ruined my life. I borrowed a big amount to repay customers who gave me the gold to make ornaments. Still I am paying an interest of Rs 1.5 lakh. I was not able to continue as a goldsmith as I lost people’s trust. I finally became a daily wage labourer, taking up odd jobs like painting. Whenever I struggle to pay school fee for my two children, the memory of the lost gold stabs me in the chest,” R Senthil said.
Also read: