People’s Watch has submitted a memorandum to Senior IAS officer P. Amudha, the high-level inquiry officer appointed by the State government to undertake investigations into the incidents of torture under Ambasamudram police sub division, on the violation of legal standards in the custodial torture case.
People’s Watch Executive Director Henri Tiphagne said the memorandum is being submitted outlining the different areas in which the legal standards that have been established by the State government or the judgments of the Madras High Court or the Supreme Court have not been adhered to at all.
He highlighted the failure of Tirunelveli District Magistrate and Collector to follow the Tamil Nadu Police (Reforms) Act, total failure of the police intelligence system in Tirunelveli district with specific reference to Ambasamudram Police Sub Division under the rank of an IPS office, non-adherence of National Legal Services Authority guidelines on ‘Early Access to Justice at Pre-Arrest, Arrest and Remand Stage.’
He said that the date, place and timings of the inquiry must be properly notified in advance, giving sufficient time to the victims to depose and the need for immediate, high-quality medical and psychological counselling should be made available to the victims, the cost of which should be borne by the State. He also sought the use of provisions under SC/ST Act since some of the victims are members of the SC/ST community and this was known to the police even before the acts of torture were resorted to.
