A verbal altercation between a couple and the Fraser Town police inspector following an accident on Robertson Road spilled over to cyberspace from the confines of the police station.
Software architect Manik Taneja and his wife Sakshi Jawa had alleged high-handedness on the part of the Fraser Town traffic inspector Imam Raja Kasim on Thursday after their car, driven by Ms. Jawa, met with an accident involving an autorickshaw, injuring a woman passenger. The couple alleged inspector Kasim used “extremely rude” language when they went to the police station.
Inspector responds
After emerging from the station, Mr. Taneja had posted their bitter experience on Facebook ( >facebook.com/blrcitypolice ), which caught public attention. Mr. Kasim was also quick to respond with his version on the page, a rarity for a police official involved in such a tangle.
It all started when Ms. Jawa followed the injured autorickshaw passenger, Laxmi Ganapathi, to the Fraser Town police station after she was treated for light injuries.
What transpired thereafter, according to Mr. Taneja’s post, was humiliating. According to him, the inspector lost his temper and said that he would “drag her by the hair and take her to court if she argued” when Ms. Jawa refused to part with the vehicle documents as the FIR had not been filed as yet.
Row at police station
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Taneja said: “We were asked to give a letter to Ms. Ganapathi, promising to pay for her medical expenses. As we were waiting, another police officer, Mr. Kumar, asked us to go into the inspector’s chamber and so we went in. However, the inspector asked us to get out. Even as I tried talking to him, he said he would kick me out if I didn’t go.”
In the middle of all this, Ms. Ganapathi left the police station unnoticed. The police issued a chalan for rash and negligent driving to Mr. Taneja even though it was his wife who was driving the car.
‘Exaggerated’
Inspector Kasim, however, rubbished the couple’s allegation saying it was an exaggeration. He told The Hindu the chalan was issued to the husband as his wife “refused to provide us with documents”. “While I was talking to Ms. Ganapathi, Ms. Jawa came inside and wanted to file a complaint following which I asked her to go out. When Mr. Taneja came into the office insisting that I listen to him, I told him ‘Please go out’ as I had to attend to another call,” Mr. Kasim posted on the page in reply.
Appeal to Lokayukta
Mr. Taneja said he contacted Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M.A. Saleem but was told that the matter could not be pursued further as couple had already paid the fine, which “amounted to admission of guilt”. With no option left, the couple is now planning to approach the Lokayukta.
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