The Haripad police have registered a case against seven police officers including a Deputy Superintendent of police for custodial torture of a cooperative bank employee in 2017.
The police officers named in the First Information Report (FIR) are former Haripad sub inspector K.G. Ratheesh, civil police officers- Anju, Sagar, Sunil, Sajan, Sunilkumar and former Haripad circle inspector T. Manoj. Mr. Manoj is currently a Dy.SP. They were booked under sections 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words) 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
The case was registered based on a complaint filed by Arun S. (35) of Kumarapuram in Alappuzha.
According to the complainant, he was taken into custody on the afternoon of October 16, 2017, alleging that he pelted stones at a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus in connection with a United Democratic Front hartal on the same day. While in custody he was brutally tortured by the police officers. As per the FIR, Ratheesh grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and five civil police officers thrashed him on his back and the spine. The seventh accused Manoj slapped Arun’s left face and squeezed his testicles. Following the custodial torture, Arun had to undergo medical treatment for several weeks.
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission had earlier ordered to pay a compensation of ₹35,000 to Arun and initiate criminal proceedings and disciplinary action against erring officers. Last month Kerala High Court directed the authorities concerned to implement the KSHRC order.