Mumbai: Raising concern over the manner in which police was probing the case of a tribal from Thane district who was tortured to death for failing to return borrowed money, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the state Crime Investigation Department (CID) to take over the investigation.
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice
Roshan Dalvi was hearing a suo moto (on its own) petition on a
report which appeared in a newspaper about the incident.
The incident took place on November 21 when one Jhipru
Mukane (35), a tribal, of Shahpur taluka in neighbouring Thane
district, was chained and tortured into working as a bonded
labourer after failing to repay a loan he had taken. Mukane
had later died.
The high court took cognizance of the news report
observing that it was "serious violation of human rights".
Subhada Khot, appearing for the widow Jayabai, pointed
out that she (Jayabai) had approached Assistant Police
Inspector, Superintendent of Police and Commissioner when her
husband was abducted but no action was taken.
"Had the police acted then, probably Mukane's life could
have been saved. But now the same police who had refused to
take action are investigating the matter," Khot argued.
Public prosecutor Pandurang Pol informed the court that a
case has been registered at Shahpur police station against
seven persons under various sections of IPC and Scheduled
Caste and Scheduled Tribe Act.
The court however accepted Khot's arguments and
ordered for CID to take over the case and adjourned the matter
for further hearing to December 22.
Pol said that the duty officer of Vasind police
station, which is an outpost of Sahapur police station, has
been suspended.
"Inquiry was initiated against him for allegedly not
taking down the complaint or making an entry in station diary
about Jayabai's visit," said Pol.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 14, 2011, 21:06