TIRUNELVELI: SC members, who were allegedly subjected to custodial torture in Ambasamudram, said on Friday they will not cooperate with the CB-CID inquiry until the arrest of suspended ASP Balveer Singh, the appointment of an IG-level monitoring officer and providing them protection as per Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
K Rajeswari, mother of two victims including a minor, and her advocates Pandiarajan and Madasamy held a press meeting in front of the office of the DSP, Organised Crime Unit and CB-CID. Along with the minor, the three met the DSP and submitted their demands to him.
“After the incident came to light, we have been facing threats from the police. Even media covering the custodial torture was threatened by the Tamil Nadu IPS Officers’ Association. The Judicial Magistrate denied us the certified copy of documents related to my elder son Arunkumar’s arrest. We received it only after the direction from the High Court. The health department also refused information under RTI Act. The personnel, who tortured my two sons, are still freely roaming. So, we won’t cooperate with the inquiry,” said Rajeswari.
Pandiyarajan said the state did not disclose the order through which senior IAS officer P Amudha was appointed as the high-level inquiry officer. “The collector’s order to appoint sub-divisional magistrate Cheranmahadevi as an inquiry officer was also not disclosed to the victims,” he added.
Third FIR registered
CB-CID has registered a third FIR against suspended ASP Balveer Singh, based on a complaint given by Vetha Narayanan, an auto driver from VK Puram.