Tamil Nadu: Retired Judge to probe custodial torture of youth
In its order, the bench said the record shows that the detenue was in custody between August 28 and 31.
Chennai: The Madras high court has requested Justice R.S. Ramanathan, a retired judge of the Madras High Court to enquire into the cause of the injuries suffered by a 21-year-old auto driver, who was allegedly beaten and tortured by the Kancheepuram police.
Passing orders on a petition from Noor Basha, father of the detenue Shiek Sahul Hameed, a division bench comprising Justices Rajiv Shakdher and N. Sathish Kumar said, “Justice Ramanathan is requested to enquire into the matter and submit a report to this court before November 7”.
In his petition, Noor Basha alleged that on August 26, his son Shiek Sahul Hameed was taken into custody by the police and thereafter his whereabouts were not known. On moving a petition before the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, the Papanasam police informed that his son was remanded to custody on August 31 at the instance of Kancheepuram police. Later, he came to know that his son was tortured and beaten mercilessly, which resulted in multiple injuries, including kidney failure, he added and sought a judicial enquiry into the matter.
In its order, the bench said the record shows that the detenue was in custody between August 28 and 31. The record shows that on September 11, this court, after perusing the remand report and looking at the injuries suffered by the detenue, directed the state to transfer the detenue from Stanley Medical College Hospital, Chennai, to Apollo hospital. The report of Apollo Hospital, clearly, shows that the state of health of the detenue is poor. In view of the circumstances, we are persuaded to allow the prayer made by the petitioner, bench added.
The bench said,“The state and the officers shall accord all assistance to Justice Ramanathan. Needless to say, Justice Ramanathan, will have the power to summon any witness. The state will also provide before Justice Ramanathan all documents and records. The concerned magistrate shall also place before Justice Ramanathan all records pertaining to the case.”