The Bombay High Court has ordered the Mumbai Police to scrutinize the CCTV footages of the Juhu Police station and ascertain if there is any evidence of police brutality by which a hand cart puller died. The order comes in response to the claims that police has been torturing citizens even for minor violations of lockdown rules.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Anuja Prabhudesai was dealing with a PIL filed by one Firdause Irani, claiming to have been a victim of police assault. He also highlighted several other instances wherein citizens were punished by the cops for venturing out during the lockdown.
According to Irani, he was subjected to police brutality just because he was not wearing a mask. He accused the cops of assaulting him. He accordingly, filed a PIL highlighting various such instances.
In response to two specific instances, the state in its affidavit, gave a clean chit to the cops.
In one such incident, a handcart puller died while he was on his way to deliver a refrigerator. The state in its affidavit claimed that the cops did not assault him and instead he suddenly collapsed on ground and died.
During a hearing that took place earlier this week, the judges noted that the probe in the death of the handcart puller, was transferred to the assistant commissioner of police, Bandra division.
"The officer shall immediately proceed to conduct fair, free and effective investigation and submit before us a status report on the next date of hearing,"CJ Datta said in his orders.
"The authorities are also requested to look into the CCTV footage and let us know as to whether the allegation that the deceased succumbed to the injuries inflicted by the police, is made out or not," the bench said while adjourning the matter till July 23.
