TIRUNELVELI: Sleuths of the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) registered an FIR against the suspended Ambasamudram ASP Balveer Singh and his team of police personnel for allegedly removing the teeth of suspects who were brought to the Ambasamudram police station for an inquiry on March 10.
This is the second case that CB-CID sleuths registered against the accused persons after the probe was transferred to them by the state government.
The case was registered under sections 323, 324, 326, and 506 (i) of the Indian Penal Code, 3 (1) (e), 3 (2) (v), 3 (2) (va) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
According to sources, the CB-CID issued summons under sections 160 (1) and 91 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to about 10 custodial torture victims, including an SC youth asking them to appear with their medical records for an inquiry. However, the sleuths refused to give the victims a copy of the FIR, sources added.
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This is the second case registered by CB-CID against Singh and his team. The first case was registered based on the complaint of E Subash whose three teeth were allegedly removed in the Kallidaikurichi police station.
Speaking to TNIE, Executive Director of People's Watch Henry Tiphagne, who is assisting the victims said the denial of the copy of FIR to the SC complainant is a violation of 15 A (9) of the SC/ST (PoA) Act. "The police department and the inquiry officers appointed by the state government to probe into the Ambasamudram custodial torture case has not been transparent since the beginning," he alleged.