BENGALURU: Observing that the allegations made against the Magistrate are serious, the Karnataka High Court on Monday directed the Magistrates of 1st and 3rd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Courts to submit a report into the allegations that one of them did not order a medical examination of Amol Kale, one of the accused in Gauri Lankesh murder case, though his allegations of third-degree treatment given to him by the police in custody were brought to the notice of Magistrate of 3rd ACMM Court.
After hearing the arguments, Justice K N Phaneendra observed that the allegations were serious in nature. Therefore, the Registry of the High Court was directed to communicate the order to the magistrates of 1st and 3rd ACMM Courts and ask them to submit a report on the allegations within 10 days from the date of receiving this order, the judge ordered.
In his affidavit, Kale’s advocate NP Amrutesh made allegations that the magistrate had not ordered medical examination of the accused when the torture allegedly given to him by police was brought to his notice on June 14, as the Magistrate of 3rd ACMM was not available. The magistrate only recorded the injury marks on Kale’s body, he alleged.
Terming the approach of the magistrate as casual, mechanical and cavalier, Amrutesh alleged that similar complaints of custodial tortures to two other accused were made on May 31, 2018 before the magistrate of 3rd ACMM, but neglected by the magistrate.
KALE TOLD ME HE WAS BEATEN SEVERELY, SAYS ADVOCATE
“Kale told me that he was beaten severely by the police officers in the custody. He was slapped a number of times on both sides of his cheeks. Thereafter, he was punched on his left cheek... Kale told that he was also beaten on legs and shows healing bruise marks on his left ankle/toe area. The area around his thumb of left leg also showed signs of wound,” Amrutesh said in the affidavit.