By IANS
New York : A police officer in the US has been cleared of charges of racially abusing an Indian American Sikh earlier this year.
Ben Grant, a police officer at Joliet, 40 km from Chicago, was accused of making racial epithets while arresting Kuldip S. Nag on March 30. But an internal police investigation has now found that the charges made against him were false, according to The Herald News.
Grant was the subject of an internal 60-day investigation after the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF) complained on Nag's behalf.
On March 30, Grant went to Nag's residence in Joliet after receiving an anonymous citizen complaint that an inoperable vehicle was parked in the driveway, which was against city ordinance.
"I put a (tow notice) tag on the car and was approached by Vera Nag (wife of Nag)," Grant told the Herald News following his acquittal. "While I was talking to her, her husband came out and was angry that a police officer was on his property.
"He kept telling me I should get off of his property. I kept telling him his vehicle was violating an ordinance and he could be arrested for interfering with me."
According to Grant, Nag pushed him and in retaliation he used a pepper spray.
"I kept telling him to put his hands behind his back. He was under arrest. He kept wrestling with me (as I handcuffed him)."
According to the newspaper, Grant thought little about the incident as he went on a scheduled vacation soon after the incident, until he saw the news April 12, based on a press release issued by SALDEF.
In the release, SALDEF alleged that Grant used "his baton and violently struck Mr. Nag numerous times until he fell to the ground.
"While the assault ensued, the officer was… saying, 'You (expletive) Arab! You (expletive) immigrant, go back to your (expletive) country before I kill you.'"
"I did not say any of those things," Grant told the newspaper. Police said three witnesses supported the officer.
Joliet police chief Fred Hayes said: "During our investigation into this incident, we interviewed neighbours and learned three of them saw and overheard the arrest," Hayes said.
"All of them supported Officer Grant's report completely and said the allegations in (the) complaint were a mischaracterization of the events.
"We looked at the evidence and saw an officer using an appropriate amount of force, the minimum amount of force and keeping himself under control."
Nag was subsequently arrested on charges of aggravated battery to a police officer and resisting a police officer. As he was being booked at the police station, Nag complained of pain and was taken to Silver Cross Hospital. After leaving the hospital April 3, he was taken to county jail and released on bond the following day.
Rajbir Singh Datta, a spokesperson for SALDEF, said he was not surprised to learn the investigation had exonerated Grant.
"I wasn't expecting an internal investigation to go against the officer," he said, adding that SALDEF would continue to represent Nag in his upcoming trial.
Joliet in Will County has a population of over 145,000 with a diverse ethnic mix. Asians, including Indian Americans, comprise a little over one percent of the population.