Kochi: More than two-and-half months have passed since the police atrocities on the islanders of Minicoy, but the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) constituted for Lakshadweep is yet to look into the case. The Complaints Authority constituted five years ago now remains only on paper while its chairman is currently stationed in Kochi and is not looking into any of the cases on the island. The chairman, retired IRS Director General B Syed Muhammed, told DC on Thursday that he was not getting any support from the Lakshadweep administration and did not have an office or staff on the island for the functioning of the authority.
“Initially I got the support of the then administrator and held some meetings but since then the succeeding administrators did not show any interest. The office was set up as per the instruction of the Central government,” Mr Syed Muhammed said. Mr Syed Muhammed, a native of Androth islands who is residing at Edappally here now, is currently appearing in the High Court for revenue and indirect taxes cases. “It may be because there are very few cases on that island that come within the purview of the authority that the committee remains non-functional,” Mr Syed Muhammed added.
He, however, said that he was willing to intervene in the issue that took place at the Minicoy islands if he was given official support. Meanwhile, Dr Abdul Muneer who was among those who faced police assault said that it was high time the Police Complaints Authority intervened in the case. “In fact a retired judge has to be appointed as the chairperson of the authority and that has to happen before entrusting the case to the authority,” he added. K K Ragesh MP too had raised the same demand before the Parliament Assurance Committee.
