The Betul Superintendent of Police (SP) has censured a Sub-Inspector involved in the thrashing of a diabetic lawyer on March 23 while he was on his way to a hospital for treatment.
Based on the analysis of an inquiry report prepared by a Sub-Divisional Office of Police, D.S. Bhadoria, the SP, has also warned the former in-charge of the Kotwali Police Station under which the incident had occurred. The analysis was prompted by the release an audio clip by lawyer Deepak Bundele, in which two officials are heard telling him he was beaten up as the police mistook him for a Muslim since he sported a beard.
“We infer that Sub-Inspector Kapil Saurashtriya, named by the lawyer in his complaint, manhandled him and did not deal with the situation properly, whereas Inspector Rajendra Dhurve has been given a warning on record as he showed no control over the Sub-Inspector,” Hoshangabad Deputy Inspector General of Police Arvind Saxena told The Hindu.
‘No initiative taken’
Mr. Saxena further said the Inspector had not taken any initiative to conduct an inquiry. “He is in-charge of the police station. So, he should have investigated the matter himself instead of handing it over to an Assistant Sub-Inspector. I will issue a show cause notice on him [the Inspector],” added Mr. Saxena.
The Assistant Sub-Inspector in question, B.S. Patel, was suspended after he was heard making objectionable remarks in the audio clip when he visited the lawyer to record his statement on May 17. The police are going to charge-sheet him for a departmental inquiry.
Even the State Human Rights Commission, taking cognisance of the incident through media reports, had sought a report from the Betul administration over the attack and the remarks.
The police has contended the incident was triggered after Mr. Bundele was questioned over not wearing a face mask. “However, we believe a case should not be registered against him as it was just preliminary stages of the pandemic then. We were sensitising people about wearing a mask at that time,” said Mr. Saxena.