CHENNAI: It was a lesson learnt for this police officer, when one of his old pupils, a 19-year-old criminology student, schooled him on a topic that he taught her over an year and a half ago. V Dhana Shree, a final year student of BA Criminology & Police Administration, has sent a letter to a Sub Inspector of Police, attached to the Sevvapet police station in Tiruvallur district, pointing out his violation of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Dhana Shree, had visited the Tiruvallur Taluk police station about 18 months ago as part of an internship programme. During that time, the same S-I had taught the batch about the CrPC, and the rights that the law provides women while being inquired.
Recently, the police had to intervene to settle a civil dispute between the girl’s family and their neighbour. The S-I, along with a woman constable, arrived at the girl’s residence and held an inquiry. “After a few hours, he asked both families to board the police vehicle, saying that the inquiry will continue at the station. Dhana Shree and her mother resisted saying that there was neither a complaint filed against them nor a notice issued for inquiry,” said P Senthil Kumar, the girl’s uncle.
Kumar contacted the control room informing them that the officer had taken the two women to the police station without proper notice or a written complaint in hand. Later, the officer dropped them off at their residence.
With the aid of CrPC, the student becomes the teacher
Following this, Dhana Shree sent out a letter to the S-I on Thursday, pointing out that he had bent the law and crossed a line on what he had taught the students. Section 160 of the CrPC talks about a police officer’s power to require attendance of witnesses. “We were taught that women cannot be called to the station for interrogation under the Section.
The law provides Indian women the right of not being physically present at the station for interrogation. The police can interrogate a woman at her residence, in the presence of a woman constable and her family members or friends, is what the law states and that is what we were taught,” said Dhana Shree.
She added that the letter was intended only to point out the officer’s mistake. “It also calls for an awareness on the conduct of criminal procedure that provides rights to the citizens, especially women.” A senior police officer assured that necessary action shall be taken.