HC grills top cop on lockdown brutalities

Why were mostly Muslims booked, questions Court ● IN ALL THE cases cited, the officials submitted that action was taken against the erring police personnel but they did not submit documentary evidence and departmental proceedings.

Reacting to police excesses and brutality towards citizens during the lockdown period, the Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the principal secretary of home and DGP to submit the action taken reports against police personnel who acted beyond the law and brutally beat up the people. The court wants all these should be submitted along with evidence.

The court particularly sought information about the revoking of the suspension of the police personnel involved in brutally beating Murali Krishna, in front of his son, during the lockdown in Wanaparthy.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, was dealing with PILs filed by advocate Umesh Chandra, S.Q. Masood, social activist and Sheela Sarah, who complained about the high handedness of the police during the lockdown.

As directed by the court, the home secretary, the DGP and the Hyderabad police commissioner filed separate affidavits and submitted that action was taken against the erring police personnel.

Chauhan, while going through the counter affidavits of the commissioner of police, Hyderabad city, observed, “Why are people belonging to a particular community i.e, Muslims being dealt with brutally by the police to name a few of them viz., Bilal, Sajid Ali, Salim Ahmed, Md. Haji, Md. Kalimm, Juniad, Md. Asgar etc., who were either beaten up brutally or verbally abused by the police. Does it mean the majority did not violate norms at all?”

Expressing utter shock that one of the accused who was hurt by the police was subjected to 35 stitches on his forehead, Chauhan said this is the height of brutality meted out by the police. The court also pointed out the police excesses in beating journalists.

In all the cases cited, the officials submitted that action was taken against the erring police personnel but they did not submit documentary evidence and departmental proceedings. The court’s dissatisfaction on the counter affidavits filed by the DGP, the additional DGP, Legal, Rajiv Ratan, and by other officers was obvious.

Chauhan asked why the police officials have not been tried under the CCA rules. In one case, the delinquent SI, Ashok Kumar, was suspended for his high-handed behaviour with the public but later the suspension was revoked and in another, Murali Krishna was punished with postponement of increment without effect on his pension but no documentary proof has been filed. In the absence of documentary evidence, how can this court construe that action has been really taken against the delinquent police officers, asked Chauhan.

Chauhan said, “I am sure that the police department is well aware as to what is happening in the US after the African-American was killed by the police. Naturally, citizens revolted against the police. Therefore, the police has to apply their mind before acting. They have to abide by the law.”

The court directed the DGP and the home secretary to inform the court on the next date of hearing as to what further progress has been made in the departmental inquiries initiated against police personnel who were brutally violent with citizens during the lockdown and further furnish documentary evidence.