The father of a young man, who died in police custody in Mumbai on April 18, has objected to the suspension of two Government Railway Police constables, saying it is an attempt to shield them from murder charges.
Agnello Valdaris, 25, died at the Wadala station, allegedly after having been severely beaten up. He and three others had been were picked up by the GRP a few days earlier on charges of stealing a gold chain. “I want them [GRP constables] arrested and sent to prison on murder charges. Suspending them for negligence clearly means that the authorities are trying to save both of them,” said Angello’s father, Leonard Valdaris.
The GRP’s internal investigation has already cleared its men of murder charges though a CID inquiry is still on. It suspended constables Ravindra Mane and Suresh Mane on Monday for “negligence” while escorting the victim who, it claimed, was run over by a local train while trying to escape.
“We suspended them because the accused escaped from their custody while being taken to the police station. It was pure negligence on their part,” said Jitendra Rathod, senior inspector at the Wadala Railway police station. Despite repeated attempts, GRP Commissioner Prabhat Kumar was not available for comment.
Meanwhile, Yug Mohit Chaudhry, who is representing the victims, said the CID was refusing to record statements on their sexual abuse. “We have filed a complaint with the CID superior officer. It is imperative for a full and fair investigation that this case be investigated by the CBI and not by any branch of the Maharashtra police.”
