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Family of Kolkata man who died in police station moves Calcutta high court
Ashok Shaw, 42, was summoned to the Amherst Street police station because he had recently purchased a used phone, which the police said, was a stolen mobile
KOLKATA: The family of a 42-year-old man, who died inside a police station in Kolkata after being summoned in connection with a mobile theft case on November 15, on Thursday approached the Calcutta high court to seek transfer of the investigation into the custody death to an impartial agency.
“We have demanded the release of CCTV footage at the police station, inquest in AIIMS Kalyani and transfer of investigation to any other agency as the family has levelled allegations of torture against the police,” lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal, who appeared for the family, later said.
Ashok Shaw, 42, was summoned to the Amherst Street police station because he had recently purchased a used phone, which the police said, had been reported stolen earlier.
His family said when they reached the station, he was on the floor and frothing at the mouth. He also had a nosebleed.
According to PTI, a senior police officer rejected allegations of torture and said that man “experienced a sudden bout of seizure and collapsed on the ground”.
Priyanka Tibrewal, who mentioned the matter on Thursday, told the division bench headed by chief justice TS Sivagnanam said a family member should be allowed to be present during the autopsy. The government said an offer was made to the family to send a representative but they didn’t accept it.
“It is very difficult to go and witness a post-mortem and especially when your kith and kin is on the table. It is very easy to argue but it is a very sensitive thing. Second post-mortem . . . third post mortem . . . father to be present . . . mother to be present . . . what emotional trauma” the bench observed.
On Wednesday, BJP councillor Sajal Ghosh, who reached the police station, demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation and led a protest against the police.
Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim said the BJP was playing politics over the tragic death. “Any death is unfortunate. They (BJP) have no other work and hence they are doing this. They are playing politics over death,” Hakim said on Thursday, referring to the protest that led to blocking movement of traffic on College Street.
The court is expected to hear the matter again on Friday.
