E-Paper
Two lawyers from city write to NHRC about TN custodial deaths
PUNE Two city-based lawyers practising in Bombay High Court have written to the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) to take cognizance of the custodial killing
PUNE Two city-based lawyers practising in Bombay High Court have written to the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) to take cognizance of the custodial killing of two people in Tamil Nadu.
The application was made by advocate Prateek Rajopadhye and advocate Ashish Patankar who are criminal lawyers practising in Bombay High Court.
“It is necessary to nip such incidences in the bud before it blooms into a poisonous flower of a police state. It is our humble and earnest request to your good office to take immediate cognizance of the aforementioned incidence and initiate an impartial and independent probe as any further delay will reduce the importance of the event and the basic sanctity of any investigation against the Tamil Nadu police,” read the application.
The two were referring to the custodial deaths of father-son duo P Jeyaraj (50) and J Bennicks (31) by officials of Santhankulam police station, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.
The two deceased men were arrested under Sections 188, 269, 294 (b), 353 and 506 (2) of the Indian Penal Code for keeping their shop open after permitted hours.
The two lawyers have alleged that the father-son duo was assaulted by inserting batons in their rectum, based on media reports.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami-led state government of Tamil Nadu had asked for the case to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Monday gave its approval for transfer of the case to CBI.
Recent custodial death cases in Maharashtra
-Salma Sonu Attar (25) alleged that her husband Sonu Gani Attar (35) was killed after government railway police (GRP) officials arrested him for suspicion of petty theft in July 2019. A case was registered and transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Maharashtra.
-Aniket Kothale (26) was killed in the lock-up of Sangli city police station after he was arrested in a case of theft in November 2017. Polcie sub-inspector (PSI) Yuvraj Kamte, constables Anil Laad, Arun Tone, Suraj Mulla and police naik Rahul Shetge, and civilian Zakir Pattewala were arrested by the police. The investigation in the case was done by CID officials and a chargesheet was submitted in 2018.
