Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh): Betul police have transferred the cops accused of manhandling an advocate before the first Covid-induced lockdown in Betul district. Terming the action a routine departmental exercise and not punishment, the victim advocate has demanded criminal proceedings against the accused cops.
Earlier, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had directed Betul Superintendent of Police (SP) Simala Prasad to present the report before the commission in person by May end.
Prasad said, “We have sent a report on the matter to NHRC and apprised them of the action taken by district police against the accused policemen. The matter ends there.”
However, victim advocate Deepak Bundele, said, “Police have only transferred the cops accused of manhandling the advocate and not registered any FIR against them. I am still demanding an FIR against those policemen who had manhandled me on March 23, 2020- a day ahead of the lockdown. When I approached the High Court, police registered an FIR against me just to mount pressure to withdraw the case.”
Two days before the nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 23, 2020, the Betul-based lawyer Deepak Bundele was allegedly beaten up by Betul police for his “appearance”.
The lawyer was on his way to a government hospital to get medicines for his chronic diabetes and hypertension, when one police official allegedly slapped him for not wearing a mask. When the lawyer objected to their behavior, other cops joined the officer and allegedly rough him.
An FIR was registered against the lawyer on June 18, 2020 under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 294 (obscene acts and songs) of the Indian Penal Code.
(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
