Bihar State Human Rights Commission

The state human rights commission on Thursday recommended departmental proceedings against three police officers for falsely implicating two persons of Supaul district under the Arms Act, 1959.

The government would have to complete the action against sub-inspectors Arti Kumari, Shambhu Kumar and assistant sub-inspector of police Braj Kishore Singh within three months, according to the recommendation by Bihar Human Rights Commission member Neel Mani.

Kumari was posted as the station house officer of Pipra police station in Supaul district while the two others were serving as her sub-ordinates. All the three were charged with fabricating Lal Mohan Mandal and Ravindra Ram, residents Thumba village in Supaul district, in a false case leading to their illegal detention in judicial custody for 56 days.

Neel Mani has also asked the home department principal secretary Amir Subhani to ensure payment of Rs. 30,000 each to Mandal and Ram as compensation within two months.

The BHRC member expressed surprise over shifting these officers to Munger, Supaul and Saharsa districts despite stern action had been recommended against them. Neel Mani asked director-general of police Abhayanand to ensure that the cops did not influence the investigation in the case lodged against them. “The case is pending for investigation for almost a year,” he added.

Neel Mani said a case was lodged against three police officers under different sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act on the directive of the commission. Deputy inspector-general (Saharsa range) Sanjay Singh was assigned to probe the charges against the cops on December 16, 2011.

The probe conducted by Sanjay Singh revealed that the two complainants — Mandal and Ram — were arrested and sent to jail on September 24, 2011, on the charges of possessing illegal firearms despite there was no clinching evidence against them.

On the commission’s recommendation, the then inspector-general (Darbhanga zone), R.K. Mishra, issued an order on December 21, 2011, directing the Madhepura superintendent of police to supervise the case afresh. The SP is, however, yet to submit his supervision note, the commission member said.

The three cops have been suspended and departmental proceedings initiated against them. Nisar Ahmad, sub-divisional police officer of Nirmali, has been appointed the conducting officer of the proceedings. “The proceedings have to be concluded within three months and action taken accordingly,” the commission member added.