TIRUNELVELI: Suspended Ambasamudram ASP Balveer Singh and 14 other police officers, who were accused of removing the teeth of suspects in police custody, appeared before the judicial magistrate in Tirunelveli on Wednesday.
Appearing for the third hearing in the custodial torture case, the counsel for the accused and the victim sought time to file their petitions. Judicial Magistrate D Thriveni adjourned the hearing to January 31. The first two hearings were held on December 15 and 26.
Despite a demand by the victim’s counsel to arrest Singh and other police personnel, the magistrate let the accused leave, allowing their bond under Section 88 of the CrPC, during the first hearing. The accused include Rajakumari, Abraham Joseph, Ramalingam, Sudalai, Vignesh, Muthu Selvakumaran, Murugesh, Saddam Hussain, Manikandan, Karthik Babu, Esakkiraja and others. While Singh was suspended, other police personnel continued to work in different police stations.
The first instance of alleged custodial torture took place on March 10. Over 10 victims were affected by the alleged custodial torture. The cases against the accused were initially registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Schedule Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. However, the charges under Sections of the SC/ST (PoA) Act were dropped later.