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ASI tells judge ‘cops have right to thrash accused’, gets notice
The incident took place when the judge, Parminder Singh Grewal, was hearing the anticipatory bail plea of Parminder Kumar Mehmi, father of Amol Mehmi who allegedly dragged Mulak Raj, an ASI, on his car bonnet
Taking exception to the statement of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) that “police have every right to give beatings to the accused at the time of his arrest”, the additional district and sessions judge, Jalandhar, on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to the cop for display of intemperate conduct in the courtroom.
The incident took place when the judge, Parminder Singh Grewal, was hearing the anticipatory bail plea of Parminder Kumar Mehmi, father of Amol Mehmi who allegedly dragged Mulak Raj, an ASI, on his car bonnet on May 2 during curfew. Amol, who was arrested earlier, was granted bail on May 13.
Parminder Kumar along with his son was charged with attempt to murder and sections.
On Tuesday, ASI Surjit Singh, who brought case file to the court, made the remark when the judge asked him whether the police beat Amol Mehmi up at the time of his arrest.
The judge also found that the ASI spoke in a loud manner as if he was shouting in the courtroom.
The court directed Surjit Singh to file the reply on the next date of hearing on May 21 as to why necessary legal proceedings should not be initiated against him.
The judge also directed Jalandhar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar to depute a responsible official not below the rank of a superintendent of police (SP) to assist the court in the case as “lower rank officials like ASI Surjit Singh do not know how to behave”.
The court observed ASI Surjit’s behaviour was highly reprehensible which is not expected from a member of the police force. “It also shows that the cop has no regard for the rule of law and he considered that he and police are law unto themselves,” the judge said.
