Govt told to pay Rs 50K to techie assaulted by Tambaram AWPS inspector

CHENNAI: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) directed the Tamil Nadu government to pay Rs 50,000 compensation to a techie who was assaulted and detained illegally without any notice by the Tambaram AWPS Inspector, based on a complaint by the techie’s estranged wife.

The commission also recommended that the government recover the compensation amount from the concerned inspector and also recommended disciplinary action against her.

SHRC member V Kannadasan issued the directions based on a petition by V Sagaya Praveen, an IT firm employee, seeking action against C Sumathi, Tambaram AWPS Inspector in 2019, and the then Chengelpet Town Inspector.

In his petition, Sagaya Praveen alleged that the Tambaram AWPS inspector indulged in police excess at the instigation of the Chengelpet Town Inspector, who is a relative of his wife.

As there was no evidence to substantiate the claims, the commission did not pursue the allegations against the Chengelpet Town Inspector. However, based on oral and documentary evidence, the commission noted that the Tambaram AWPS inspector had called the complainant and his father to the police station without giving any mandatory notice for inquiry, as stipulated by the law of the land. The inspector too admitted that she called them by phone and detained the complainant in the police station in the name of inquiry and handed over the complainant's house key to his estranged wife.

“The action on the part of the inspector amounts to a violation of human rights of the complainant and she had failed to prove her innocence that she performed her duty following law,” the commission held.