By TwoCircles.net staff writer
New Delhi: A first-hand account of condition in Sultanpuri Police station puts serious doubt over Delhi Police's claims that citizens come first and gives a dark meaning to their slogan "with you for you always."
A fact finding team of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) was visiting Sultanpuri Police Station to investigation the custody death of Maulana Kallimuddin four days ago. They saw the horrible way the inmates and their relatives were treated by Policemen on duty.
According to a press release issued by PUCL's secretary Pushkar Raj, fact-finding team was in the police station on the evening of 28th of April. They saw six-seven anxious women and three-four nervous men
standing in the lobby. According to the release, either the Police Station Incharge nor the Additional Police Station Incharge was available. An Asstt. Sub Inspector was on duty. He was asked by the team to give details regarding the alleged custody death. He refused by saying that he was not authorized to give the details.
The team asked if they could have the copy of the FIR filed against the diseased person who allegedly had beaten up a rickshaw puller and consequently in return was beaten up by the mob at 4am of 24th April
.He said that they would be provided the copy of FIR on giving an application after a day or two.
When the team proceeded to the lock up with a constable, they saw a constable was sitting on a chair without name plate getting his hands massaged by an inmate.
The lock up was poorly lit and ventilated. The team took a glimpse into the room in which five-six young men were huddled. As team members wanted to talk to the inmates, the constable got up, bolted the room and stood guard. He ordered the team to leave the place immediately. In the mean time a few constable came and formed a human chain, misbehaved and threatened them to leave.
2. Is it a usual practice to let harried relatives stand in the lobby and not tell them why their dear ones' liberty is at police men's custody and mercy?
3. Is it fair to create imagined rule centric procedures to give a copy of an innocuous piece of document like FIR to a creditable civil liberties organization of the country specifically when the matter relates to an alleged custody death?