CM flays police handling of Peroorkada case; promises necessary action
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday condemned the police's handling of the case in which a Dalit woman was falsely accused of theft at Peroorkada in the district.
Alluding to the misconduct that has brought the Peroorkada police under the scanner, the Chief Minister flagged various lapses, including the wrongful detention of 39-year-old Nedumangad native R. Bindu at the police station and the misbehaviour being meted out to her.
'The police did not act in accordance with the law, and a probe is currently under way into the issue,' he told mediapersons in Kozhikode.
He asserted that there was no delay or oversight on the part of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), which intervened promptly to initiate an inquiry based on the woman's grievance. 'However, we could not agree to her demand to intervene in a case that is under police investigation. We communicated to her that necessary steps will be taken,' he said.
Theft charge
Ms. Bindu, a domestic worker, was taken into custody by the Peroorkada police on April 23 on the charge of stealing a gold necklace from her employer, Omana Daniel. While the complainant later withdrew her complaint after finding the jewellery in her own home, various lapses were found on the part of the police officers in handling the case.
Peroorkada sub-inspector Prasad S.G. was suspended by District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram City) Thomson Jose on the basis of an inquiry report by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), District Special Branch, on Monday. The probe found that the action of the sub-inspector was 'unbecoming of an officer' and caused mental agony to the victim. He was also found guilty of gross indiscipline and abuse of power.
Lapses by two officers
A separate investigation by the ACP, Cantonment, reportedly uncovered lapses by two other officers who violated standard procedures. These included detaining the complainant without just cause and transporting her for evidence collection during late hours, contrary to prescribed norms. The District Police Chief is expected to take necessary action based on the findings.
Ms. Bindu also indicated her intention to file a defamation lawsuit against her former employer for the false theft allegations.
Women's panel
Meanwhile, the Kerala Women's Commission has also called for a comprehensive probe into the incident.
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