SHRC probe: Chennai Police Commissioner gets relief, exempted from appearance

CHENNAI: Chennai city police Commissioner A Arun, who was summoned by the State Human Rights Commission over an assistant commissioner threatening to bump off a history sheeter, received a breather after the panel exempted him from appearing in person.

Interacting to the media after taking charge as the Commissioner, Arun had said the city police would speak to hardened criminals in a language they understand. Days later, Assistant Commissioner A Elangovan was caught on video threatening the wife of a history sheeter that he would be killed in an encounter if he failed to mend his ways.

Taking note of the video, the commission wondered if the ACP was motivated by Arun’s comments, and summoned the Commissioner. But on Thursday, the counsel representing the Commissioner explained that the officer was stressing on professional policing and not on encounter, sources said.

Earlier, a division bench of the Madras High Court stayed SHRC's direction to the authorities to initiate disciplinary action against ACP Elangovan.

Meanwhile, days after a Deputy Superintendent of Police part of SHRC’s investigation wing who was probing the alleged custodial torture of two murder suspects by the Kancheepuram police got shunted out of the panel, his replacement was not allowed to join.

Sources confirmed that the new appointee in the same DSP rank reported before SHRC higher-ups but was told to go back. The official then reported at the police headquarters.

Before he was shunted out, DSP M Sundaresan, who was probing the alleged custodial torture of two accused in the murder of a retired woman inspector, had filed a preliminary report that prima facie established that the Kancheepuram police illegally detained and brutally assaulted them leading to their hospitalisation, and also threatened and humiliated their family members.

Incidentally, the State police headquarters issued the transfer order just 10 days after the SHRC bench, comprising former Kerala Chief Justice S Manikumar and member V Kannadasan, cited the preliminary report and passed an order on October 1 noting that the commission's inquiry should not be interfered with in any manner whatsoever.