4 cops assaulted 22-year-old, claimed death was due to mob lynching: ACP informs Bombay HC

The assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Bandra division, on Thursday, informed the Bombay high court (HC) that he has identified four personnel from Juhu police

The assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Bandra division, on Thursday, informed the Bombay high court (HC) that he has identified four personnel from Juhu police station who assaulted Raju Velu Devendra, a victim found outdoors during the Covid-19 lockdown. The ACP said he would propose the initiation of departmental action against the four personnel.

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Juhu police had so far maintained that the 22-year-old was a victim of mob lynching. They claimed that on March 30, Devendra was brutally assaulted by a mob when he attempted to commit a robbery. The police had registered an offence against eight purported members of the mob.

On Thursday, government lawyer Purnima Katharia supported the ACP’s stand. She informed the bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice Anuja Prabhudessai that she had viewed the CCTV footage covering the incident of assault on the deceased and did not find any proof of a mob lynching.

“Only the four policemen are seen to have used fiber lathis in a bid to discipline the deceased,” she said. The lawyer, however, added that further investigation was required to ascertain if the deceased succumbed to the injuries caused by the policemen.

The lawyer was responding to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by lawyer and human rights activist Firdause Irani, which raised concerns about police excesses during enforcement of the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19 infection.

On March 30, Devendra and his family were going to visit a relative when a police team chased them and caught the deceased. The policemen allegedly informed the relatives that Devendra was being taken to Juhu police station. The next morning, police claimed the 22-year-old was found lying at Nehru Nagar Chowk. They took him to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

The investigation into the case was entrusted to the ACP, Bandra division, in view of the allegations against the policemen.

On Thursday, HC noted that two important witnesses in the case, the mother and brother of the deceased, have not cooperated with the investigation, and their statements have not been recorded. Taking note of this anomaly, the bench has directed the ACP to issue fresh notices to them and make an endeavor to get their statements recorded.

Expressing displeasure over the delay in investigating the case, HC also directed the ACP to speed up the probe and submit a progress report by August 5. The next hearing on the matter has been posted for August 6.