Patna, June 16: The Bihar State Human Rights Commission (BSHRC) today directed Patna zone inspector-general (IG) to conduct an inquiry into the case related to alleged assault of one S.B. Singh and his father by an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Vivek Kumar, presently posted as rural superintendent of police (SP) of Patna.

The incident occurred on April 18, 2010 and the complainant in his application to the commission claimed that the IPS officer, who was then posted as additional superintendent of police (ASP) of Jehanabad assaulted him and his father after their vehicle overtook the car in which Vivek was travelling.

While directing the IG to submit his report within one month, the BSHRC observed that while making inquiry, the zonal IG should not be influenced by the fact that the earlier report was submitted on behalf of the director-general of police. “Indeed, he would be making the inquiry as persona designate and therefore the commission would expect an independent report,” observed the BSHRC chairman Justice S.N. Jha.

He issued the directive after he expressed commission’s dissatisfaction with the way the deputy inspector-general (DGP), who was earlier entrusted with the task of conducting the inquiry, inquired the entire case and submitted his report to the commission.

“The commission finds substance in the plea put forward on behalf of the applicant that the inquiry by the DIG central range was not made on the spot,” observed the commission.

Though the commission had no objection to the DIG’s stand of examining 13 witnesses, nine of whom were policemen and remaining being the applicant, his father, brother and one independent witness Om Prakash Singh, while conducting the inquiry, yet it maintained: “Had the DIG visited the place(s) — where the incident allegedly took place — and made an open transparent inquiry in presence of the local residents/persons at large, besides, of course, the applicant and his family members, he might have found many more independent witnesses who could tell their version of the occurrence.”

This is for the third time that the commission has to issue a directive for fresh inquiry into this case. The first such report was based on the report of senior SP of Patna.

This report, however, was not based on the independent report of the SSP, rather it was based on the inquiry report of sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Patna Sadar.

In its order dated September 9, 2010, the commission expressed reservation as to how an independent inquiry could be made by a deputy superintendent of police-rank office when the allegation was directed against an IPS officer.

Commission then sought a fresh report from the DGP, in the light of which the DGP got the matter inquired by the DIG.