The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has ordered registration of a case against a police officer who had illegally detained a college student at the Muvattupuzha police station and prevented her from attending a PSC examination.
In the order, KSHRC Acting Chairperson P. Mohana Das directed the District Police Chief (Ernakulam City) to register a case against Rajesh, a senior civil police officer attached to the Muvattupuzha police station.
The said incident took place on July 15 last year when the official allegedly detained the woman, a native of Pandippally in Muvattupuzha, at the station for several hours. She and her mother had been summoned to the station in connection with a dispute over the construction of a public toilet complex near their residence.
Though the station house officer had instructed officials to let the women go after signing the petition register, the complainant refused to sign citing discrepancies in the matter recorded in it. The accused policeman, however, did not let her leave the station without signing the document and stood obdurate even as she produced her hall-ticket for a PSC examination to be held in Thrissur on the same day.
Absolved first, indicted later
Though the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Muvattupuzha, had sought to exonerate the accused policeman following an investigation, an independent investigation by the KSHRC indicted him later.
The commission found that the complaint had been denied an opportunity to record her dissent in the petition register. Noting that the woman could have attended the examination had the policeman released her by 11 a.m., the commission observed that the said act had indeed cost her an opportunity of employment.
The order also stated that the woman might also initiate legal proceedings against the policeman through a civil court.
