[greenyouth] Judicial probe into custodial deaths

[Ajay]

Judicial probe into custodial deaths

Pioneer News Service | Thiruvananthapuram http://dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=KOCHI&file_name=KOCHI2%2Etxt&counter_img=2 Thursday, August 17, 2006 Conceding to the demand made by the Opposition Congress, the Kerala Cabinet has decided to order a judicial probe by a sitting High Court judge into the police- related deaths, including those in custody, in the three months that the LDF has been in power.

The Government would write to the High Court Chief Justice asking him to nominate a judge to conduct the probe, Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan told reporters after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. So far 13 persons have died in police related incidents in the State.

The Congress, while demanding a judicial probe, had warned that the party would launch an intensified agitation if their demand was not met. As part of their agitation, the Congress MLAs held a dharna in front of the State Secretariat in protest against the recurrence of custodial and police-related deaths in the State.

Opposition leader Oommen Chandy and State Congress president Ramesh Chennithala had sought an appointment for Wednesday with the Chief Minister and Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on the issue of police-related deaths. But the Government chose not to give the Congress leaders a chance to complain by deciding on a judicial probe minutes before the scheduled meeting.

After the meeting with the Chief Minister and Home Minister, Chandy said the Congress welcomed the Government's decision, but demanded that the Opposition be consulted on the terms of reference of the enquiry commission. He said that the Chief Minister had agreed to this.

Chennithala claimed that the Government had bowed before the protest from the people and that the declaration by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jacob Punnoose did not stand, as was evident from the Government's decision. "The Government could have ordered a judicial probe earlier. Instead, they tried to cover- up the incidents using the ADGP. Now the decision for a judicial probe proves that the statement made by the ADGP was wrong," said Chennithala.

Two days ago, Jacob Punnoose had stated that the recent custody deaths in the State were not due to police torture.

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"Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power.
It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality."
- Dr BR Ambedkar
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