The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) over policemen allegedly framing an eatery owner in Etah district after they were asked to pay for the food they had.
The NHRC said it took suo motu cognisance of the matter reported by the media this week. The two policemen, who got into a squabble with the dhaba owner, allegedly falsely implicated and arrested 10 people — the brother and a cousin of the dhaba owner and eight customers — and claimed to have recovered contraband from them.
“The persons reportedly arrested by the police are presently lodged in judicial custody. The Commission has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, calling for a report in the matter within six weeks,” the NHRC said.
The NHRC said the matter raised serious concerns of human rights violation. “The incident, apparently, is a classic example of failure of entire system of checks and balances. Hence, fair investigation is required to be conducted to know as to from where the policemen could manage to procure these items,” the NHRC said.
The incident occurred on February 4 when the two on-duty policemen ate at the dhaba but refused to pay the bill of ₹400. An argument broke out when the policemen offered to pay only ₹80. The policemen allegedly beat the dhaba owner’s cousin and then left.
“After some time, around 15 policemen reportedly arrived in three vehicles, pointed guns and took away the brother and the cousin of the eatery owner as well as eight customers with them to the Kotwali (Rural) Police Station and an FIR was registered against them. The owner of the eatery, who is specially abled, was reportedly spared by the police,” the NHRC said.
The police filed an FIR claiming that the 10 were part of a gang and were planning to loot when they were apprehended in an encounter. “Six illegal weapons, 80 litres illicit liquor and 2 kg contraband had been reportedly projected as recovered from the persons arrested by the police,” the NHRC said.