MADURAI
Normal policing post-Sattankulam custodial deaths case has undergone a visible change in Madurai. The number of crime cases has come down in the COVID-19 lockdown period. Consequently, the number of escorts of accused too has come down.
“But, definitely the burden after arrests of accused – from getting fitness certificate from medical officers to lodging them in jails – has increased manifold,” says an Inspector of Police here.
After trader P. Jayaraj and his son J. Benicks died due to alleged police torture at Sattankulam police station in Thoothukudi, police stations across the State get frequent calls from the offices of Superintendents of Police/Commissioners of Police enquiring about suspects/accused in custody.
Previously, the police stations used to get calls in the nights only from the Intelligence Section (in cities)/Special Branch (in rural districts) about custody particulars. “But, now our stations get at least four calls a day about the custody particulars – at 6 a.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.” said an Inspector.
With the custody details getting updated with State police headquarters every day, even Chennai Police Control is making calls to Station House Officers in the nights to check the condition of persons in custody.
“The State police want to ensure that no more Sattankulam-type of cases occur. And this has definitely put the police force on their back foot,” said another Inspector.
Oral orders have been issued to stations not to arrest any person on suspicion under Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Similarly, in any case that attracted a jail term of less than seven years, the police stations have been encouraged to let off the accused on station bail.
Under normal circumstances, a medical fitness certificate, obtained from the Government Medical Officer under Cr.P.C. Section 54 is enough to put an accused in custody in jail. But, now, a medical certificate stating that the accused tested negative for COVID-19 has been made mandatory.
“And it takes at least 36-48 hours to get swab test results,” say police officers.
Police officers adopt different methods to comply with the arrest procedures. While it is mandatory to produce the accused before the judicial magistrate within 24 hours of arrest, some Judicial Magistrates insist on a COVID-19 negative certificate to issue remand order. “Hence, we need to keep them in our custody till the results are out,” an officer said.
Another Inspector takes a different route. After getting the remand order, the accused is kept in the station lock-up till the swab result is out. “We make a requisition to the jail authorities, along with the COVID-19 test result certificate, to allow the delay (after getting judicial custody order) in producing them in jail,” he said.
“Not only the SHOs have the responsibility in the well-being of the accused under police station custody, but also safeguard our men from the accused as they might contract COVID-19 from the accused,” he added. One Inspector in Madurai had contracted infection from an accused.
