A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday asked the State government to inform the court of the steps taken so far in connection with the alleged custodial torture of Leeba Ratheesh of Cheranalloor.
The Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice A.M. Shafique granted the government four weeks’ time to inform the court of the steps taken.
The directive was issued when a public interest writ petition filed by Roshan Jacob Oommen seeking to prosecute the police officers responsible for the alleged custodial torture came up for hearing. It also sought initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the police officers.
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The petitioner also sought a directive to the State government to bear all the expenses of the victim’s treatment and recover the amount from the police officers responsible for the torture.
He also pleaded for the declaration that before arresting a person, notice should be issued to him or her. The petitioner also wanted to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the police officers for violating the Supreme Court judgment in the D.K. Basu case.
The petitioner pointed out that Leeba’s was not a stray incident. There were many incidents in which poor persons were tortured by the police. Police meted out inhuman treatment to poor persons, which a civilized society could not tolerate, he said.
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According to the petitioner, such incidents made a mockery of the Constitutional provisions. The police were bound to follow the due procedure before arresting a person.