The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the West Bengal government to submit an affidavit within two weeks in response to a petition on the issue of athlete Pinki Pramanik’s mistreatment by the police. Pramanik’s gender has come into question following allegations of rape against her.
A Division Bench comprising Justices J. N. Patel and Justice Sambuddha Chakrabarti heard the matter. The court has also directed the State to produce the case diary on the day of next hearing.
The petition was filed against the harassment and humiliation that Ms. Pramanik has been subjected to since her arrest.
Bharati Mutsuddi, a former member of the West Bengal Women’s Commission who appeared on behalf of the petitioners, said Ms. Pramanik was “publicly humiliated” and was “suffering immensely” because of the manner in which investigations were being carried out.
“She has been kept in a men’s prison and was escorted by male policemen,” Ms. Mutsuddi said.
MMS clip
Ms. Mutsuddi also raised the issue of a multimedia messaging service (MMS) clip that appears to have been taken during one of the gender tests conducted on Ms. Pramanik.
The court has said the petitioners were free to lodge a complaint with the police against the circulation of the MMS, which has gone viral on the Internet.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Surya Kanta Mishra said he had tried to raise the issue in the House, but was not allowed to do so as the matter was sub judice.
“The police and the administration were very prompt in arresting Pinki, whose sex is yet to be determined. But the way she has been treated is definitely a violation of human rights and several organisations are protesting this,” Dr. Mishra told journalists.
Sportspersons protest
During the day, nearly 25 sportspersons organised a protest at the Calcutta Sports Journalists Club.
“We, as sportspersons, feel humiliated that way police are maltreating her and the administration is keeping quiet,” said Bula Chowdhury, a swimmer of international repute.
“It is disgraceful that in a State where a woman is the Chief Minister, a woman is being subjected to such torture merely on the basis of a suspicion,” said Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, an Asian Games gold medallist and a former Member of Parliament.
“In the 2006 Doha Asian Games where athlete Santhi Soundarajan was stripped of her medal because she failed the gender test, nothing was said about Pinki, who had won the gold in the same tournament,” she said.
It is surprising why we have so much brouhahas about Pinki's sex. Her(or his) sex should be very much clear from birth-certificate. The problem I imagine is nobody believes in her birth certificate. The problem comes back to corruption due to which we are wasting so much energy on this non-issue.
It's a shame that a India could not verify gender of a person within 24hrs after being accused of rape charges and also if the crime has been committed. The bloody courts have forgotten the issue of rape and gender instead fooling public with human rights violation! Bloody country, no value to truth and justice!
If the person committed crimes then should be punished else law should take action on the others responsible for case. Why we need ages to do simple things?
In the UK one can determine the sex of a person within week of providing a sample. I am surprised a country which is exploring the space is unable to find the gender of a person!!
I fail to understand this: Why should the court or the police have any
role or rights to determine or decide on a person's sex or sexual
orientation?
One cannot think of a worse form of violation of constitutional rights
granted to the citizen, and that too by the arms of the state. This is
atrocious, to say the least. The culprits of this atrocity should be
meted out exemplary punishment.
It is very unfortunate that a person brought name and fame for the
country has been suffering for ignorance of a section of so called
medical practitioners and police personnel. These 'knowledgeable'
persons should remember Pinki passed different tests in the world
while played. Now Pinki's counsel Bharati Mutsuddi and Ravishankar
Chattopadhyay "prayed for immediate release of the athlete, claiming
it was an illegal detention, punishment to the police officers who
were allegedly responsible for Pramanik’s harassment and show case to
the state government for alleged illegal detention of Pramanik". Yes I
also request to the Government of West Bengal to book the culprits who
harassed Pinki. These police and medical doctors should not take
things easily if no punishment is inflicted then in future they will
indulge more such crime. It is a serious case of human rights
violation as revealed from different sources.
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