Three police personnel, including an Assistant Commissioner here, will have to pay total compensation of Rs.6 lakh to a woman of Adyar here for rights violation.
Following an order of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), the State government has issued a G.O. sanctioning the sum for the victim. It has requested the Director-General of Police to recover the sum from the salaries of the Assistant Commissioner, Inspector and a woman Sub-Inspector in equal instalments.
The case pertains to a complaint by Lalitha of Kasturba Nagar, Adyar, a senior citizen, that she was unlawfully dispossessed of a flat where she was staying as tenant in 2008. The police personnel acted in collusion with the flat owner.
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In the counter, the then Assistant Commissioner Jagabarsali stated that it was incorrect to say that the flat owner, with the assistance of the police, trespassed into the premises by breaking open the lock and removing the tenant's belongings.
In the order, the Commission observed that the complainant had been gradually dispossessed and thrown out with the support and active assistance of Jagabarsali, Inspector Ashokan and Sub-Inspector Subashini.
From the victim's oral testimony, it was seen that several third parties had not only broken open the door but also trespassed into the flat with the knowledge of the Inspector and Sub-Inspector. No timely and proper action was taken on the victim's complaints. Her representations to the Assistant Commissioner were of no avail. Instead, she received verbal abuses and threats to vacate the premises.
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The officials exhibited mala fide exercise of power. They made the petitioner to run from pillar to post, apart from subjecting her to constant mental agony and torture.
As ordered by the Commission, the government said Rs.1 lakh, Rs.3.50 lakh and Rs.1.50 lakh would be recovered from the salaries of the Assistant Commissioner, Inspector and woman Sub-Inspector.
The G.O. stated that departmental proceedings would also be initiated against the three and another Sub-Inspector, All Women Police Station, Adyar, Tamil Selvi.