Recently Bombay High Court pulled Maharashtra Government for not complying its directions to install CCTV Cameras in every corner of the room of the police stations including an interrogation room before 10/09/2014. HC also expressed displeasure over not inviting tenders and making assessment and finding out how many police stations are there and how many CCTV cameras will be required for installation.
The Assistant Public Prosecutor for the State had asked twelve weeks' time as the report from the Home Department on this issue was awaited. HC then had adjourned the case till 24.9.2014. But now as the hearing has been adjourned till 13 November 2014 state government has got some more breathing period.
In its directions HC had asked Maharashtra Government to immediately install and maintain closed circuit television (CCTV) with rotating cameras in every corridor, room and lock up of each Police Station in the state so that every part of the Police Station is covered 24 hours of the day. Compliance report on this order was to be given before 10 September 2014.
Last month on 13 august after it was brought to the notice of the court that there were 333 custodial deaths over a period of 15 years from 1999 to 2013 in Maharashtra and 43 FIRs were filed and 19 charge-sheets were filed, but no police officer has been convicted so far. Bombay High court had passed severe stricture on police. HC was hearing a criminal writ filed by Leonard Xavier Valdaris, father of deceased Agnelo Valdaris who died in the custody of the Wadala Police.
Angelo by profession a driver was arrested with three others by wadala police. It was alleged that in custody police brutally tortured and sexually abused the accused. Later on Angelo was found dead. It was also alleged by Angelo’s father that police claim that Angelo died while escaping from the custody of the police, was well planned and designed to avoid criminal consequences arising out of the action of the accused. It was also submitted that, in fact, version had been given by one of the injured person in which he had in terms stated that one of the police officer had threatened him, that even if he dies during interrogation, he would be shown to have been killed in a railway accident.
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| Photo Courtesy - ummid.com |
While hearing this case HC initially refused to hand over the investigation to CBI, However court ordered CID to file fresh FIR. Then it was alleged by angelo’s father that an attempt had been made to destroy the evidence and fabricate the same in order to protect the original accused, HC passed strictures against CID and handed over the case to CBI.
HC also observed that the manner in which the offence was alleged to had been committed, was gruesome and there was complete lack of sensitivity of the interrogating agency in interrogating the accused. The photographs produced of the injured persons also indicated that they were brutally tortured by the police.
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