JORHAT, June 6 � After examining evidences on record in connection with case of �custodial torture� to one Sidhartha Kausik Dutta, three police officers and a constable in Jorhat have been accused by the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate for their alleged involvement in disobeying law for causing injury to a person, criminal conspiracy, putting person in fear of death in order to commit extortion and some other offences.
The accused officers � Prodip Borah, (OC, Jorhat PS), Hrishikesh Hazarika (OC, Pulibor PS), Promod Borah (SI, Pulibor PS) �and a police constable in Pulibor police station are summoned to be appeared before the court on July 5 next.
Even though sanction for prosecution from the higher authority concerned is required in taking cognizance against the accused OCs the court observed that no such sanction is necessary in connection with this case as the police officers �acted beyond their official duty�.
Besides the police personals another person Rupanjal Borbora has also been accused by the court in connection with the case.
Though the case of alleged custodial torture was earlier informed by the complainant Riju Sarma Dutta to Jorhat Superintendant of Police the SP allegedly did not initiate any action against the police officers concerned which later compelled the complainant to move a petition in the court.
According to Riju all three police officers and the constable tortured her son Sidhartha Kausik Dutta mercilessly by disobeying laws prescribed by the Supreme Court, while he was in their custody since April 16 to April 19. Police allegedly trumped up charges against Dutta, who has been currently undergoing treatment in Assam Medical College Hospital (AMC) as police brutality damaged his kidney and many other vital organs.
In response to her petition the court sought medical evidences from Jorhat Medical College Hospital (JMCH), Jorhat jail authority and the AMC which have revealed serious internal injuries to the accused Sidhartha.
Though the court directed police to submit the CCTV footage of Jorhat Police Station (stored from April 16 to April 19, 2013) police could not submit the required footage before the court.
�However, examining all other submitted evidences and statements on record the court accused all the three police officers, the constable and the another person involved. The court summoned them to be appeared on July 5,� said advocate Rintu Goswami, who argued in favour of the complainant before the court. Already the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took up the case on the basis of media report and sought report from the State DGP on the matter.
