TIRUNELVELI: Principal Secretary of Rural Development Department P Amudha, who is holding a high-level inquiry into the alleged custodial torture by suspended ASP Balveer Singh and his team of police personnel, held an inspection at Ambasamudram, Vikramasingapuram, and Kallidaikurichi police stations on Tuesday.
Amudha was accompanied by district collector-cum-chairman of district-level oversight committee Dr K P Karthikeyan. They examined the rooms where the alleged torture took place in the three stations, and interrogated the police personnel. The principal secretary, who had conducted inquiries with the custodial torture victims till around 11.45 pm on Monday, resumed the inquiry with Subash, Vetha Narayanan, and M Mariappan on Tuesday at the taluk office in Ambasamudram.
Mariappan told media persons that apart from collecting his statement, the high-level inquiry officer collected photos of his damaged teeth. Advocate Maharajan, who is assisting eight victims in the case, told media persons that there is no transparency in the legal proceedings initiated against Balveer Singh and his team.
“We hear that the FIR against Singh was registered based on Subash’s complaint. However, the police have not even issued a copy of the FIR to the complainant. They also have blocked access to the FIR in their online portal. This is in violation of the law and various court orders,” he said.
Commenting on the visit of Amudha and the Collector to the police stations, Maharajan said the visit would be of no use as the evidence against Singh has already been destroyed. “Those who had helped Singh torture the victims are still working in the three police stations. The IAS officers failed to preserve the plier which Singh used to remove the victims’ teeth, the stones used to rub minor victims’ teeth and gums, his gloves, and samples of blood stains of the victims,” he said.