The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : CoD recommends action on police official

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Friday, Feb 15, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

CoD recommends action on police official

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: A Corps of Detectives (CoD) inquiry conducted into the wrongful detention of two individuals in connection with the case involving the Pejawar math seer has indicted Assistant Commissioner of Police G.T. Naik for alleged “abuse of power” and “illegal action”.

The report submitted by the CoD to the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police has recommended that suitable departmental proceedings be initiated against the police officer.

Sanskrit Professor K.S. Venkatesh and his sister, Rukmini, had alleged that they were illegally picked up and tortured by the police after the former had filed a private complaint against the Pejawar math seer and six others in connection with a money-lending case. In the complaint, Prof. Venkatesh had alleged that he was assaulted by those owing allegiance to the math after his friend had failed to repay a loan. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Chamarajpet sub-division, G.T. Naik, had been asked to investigate the case.

It was alleged that the police picked up and tortured Prof. Venkatesh and Ms. Rukmini on the night of January 7, 2007. The two had been questioned by the police on three days preceding the day of detention. They were freed on January 8, after Ms. Rukmini’s son, Srinidhi, filed a habeas corpus petition before the High Court.

The CoD report stated that Mr. Naik’s counter-affidavit to the High Court that Prof. Venkatesh and Ms. Rukmini could not be traced for questioning between January 4 and 6 has been proved to be “far from the truth”. It said that Mr. Naik’s statements to Registrar (Vigilance) and CoD officials were contradictory. It also stated that he manipulated documents in the name of a retired PSI, which amounts to “grave misconduct”.

The report took serious exception to the woman being picked up late at night even as she was not an accused in the case being handled by Mr. Naik.

Picking her up without the presence of a woman police official and detaining her, the report said, amounted to “serious abuse of power”.

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