Cop ‘threatens’ Home Minister KJ George's ‘friend’

Bangalore: It is a well-known fact that Home Minister K. J. George does not tolerate any wrongdoings by personnel in his department.

However, the policing method used by a woman sub-inspector attached to the Ashoknagar police station who allegedly threatened a witness in a dowry case to turn hostile might just invite his wrath.

What is more intriguing is that the witness claims to be a friend of the Home Minister and that he has known George for ‘a long time’.

The reportedly harried witness is Denzil Brown, who works as a senior manager in the apparel industry and is a resident of Cox Town.

Brown told Deccan Chronicle, “Around 12 pm on December 7, the couple I was testifying against in a dowry case came to Mayo Hall for a hearing. While I was talking to a constable there, the woman and her husband began pushing me and my friend named Napoleon. To our shock, we were immediately summoned to the Ashoknagar station for allegedly assaulting the woman though we had not touched her.”

Brown and his friend were then reportedly detained till 8 pm by sub-inspector Chandrakala, who let them off only after confirming that the woman’s complaint was false.

“Last year, the same woman and her husband had manhandled me outside the court and I decided to register a complaint with the police.

“However, sub-inspector Chandrakala refused initially and finally registered a non-cognizable report (NCR) after repeated requests. No action was taken against the couple who turned the tables on me last week, and when the woman filed a complaint, it was registered immediately,” said Brown, accusing the sub-inspector of being gender biased.

Moreover, Brown claimed that sub-inspector Chandrakala disposed of the NCR he had filed against the couple, and threatened to have him arrested if he went to court to testify against them in the upcoming hearings.

“I was supposed to attend a hearing on Tuesday to stand witness against the couple, but missed it simply out of fear that I would get arrested. The defendant’s lawyer has even mentioned the harassment I was put through to the judge. Although I have know Home Minister K. J. George since his days as a social worker, I do not want to trouble him over such a trivial issue; nor do I want to use his influence, so I have not spoken to him about this,” he added.

When contacted, however, sub-inspector Chandrakala had a different story to tell.

Terming the allegations that she threatened to have Brown arrested as ‘lies’, the PSI said, “This is the sixth time that both parties have clashed at Mayo Hall. I merely warned him and the couple against getting into fights outside the courtroom.

“I clearly told him to present his evidence and leave without creating a ruckus, but never said I would arrest him for turning up. Being a police officer, I did my duty and took up her complaint; but dismissed it after realising it was false. We had also registered Denzil’s case but I closed it recently.”