CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered a CBI probe into the alleged torture and rape of a 49-year-old woman at a police station in Udumalpet.
Justice V Ramasubramanian, who transferred the case to the CBI, also directed the government to pay within two weeks, an interim compensation of `2 lakh to the woman and to suspend the cops involved in the case.
Immediately upon receipt of a copy of this order, the Joint Director of CBI at Rajaji Bhavan should record the statement of the victim, now undergoing treatment at the Government Multi Superspecialty Hospital on Anna Salai and register an FIR for various offences under the relevant provisions, the judge said.
The CBI probe should be conducted by an officer not below the rank of a DC. The investigating officer (IO) should take into his possession, all the medical records of the Udumalpet Government Hospital, the Coimbatore CMC Hospital and the records of the Medical Officer of the prison, probe the matter and file a report within three months.
The IO shall also check the call records of the mobile phones of all the police personnel of the Udumalpet police station to find out the date on which the petitioner’s mother was taken into custody. The judge also directed the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Tirupur, to dispose of the bail application from the victim in accordance with law, within a week. Upon completion of the trial and in the event of conviction, she will be at liberty to proceed against the erring officers for compensation and it will be open to the State at that time to recover the amount paid from those responsible, the judge added.
Once an FIR is registered against the named officials, it will be open to the State to place them under suspension and initiate any action. If the IO opines that the victim should be subjected to further medical examination, it shall also be done. She may then be discharged or sent to prison depending on the fate of her bail petition.