Rs 5 lakh to kin of driver who died in police custody: Madras High Court

Recording the same, a Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T. S. Sivagnanam said, “A status report be filed of the progress made in this behalf (action against the inspector of police) at least three days prior to the next date of hearing.” The court posted the matter for compliance on October 9.

Disposing of the PIL from Ossie Fernandes, co-convenor, Campaign for Custodial Justice and Abolition of Torture, the Bench said the chief medical officer in the government district headquarters hospital, Nagapattinam, had filed an affidavit on the incident which occurred on December 31, 2013.

He said the deceased was brought by the escort police for preliminary check up before sending him to prison and at that time, the deceased was conscious, stuttering and was in an inebriated state. He suddenly collapsed, fell down and died at 1.15 am.

The medical officer had mentioned lacerated injury found on the left hand palm of the deceased. The affidavit also stated that during post-mortem three external injuries had been mentioned.

The certificate also mentioned that there was blood discharge on the left ear and frothy secretion in the mouth and nostrils and blood clot present in the right ventricle. The viscera report revealed that alcohol or other position was not detected and thus, in the post mortem opinion, the cause of death was stated to be shock, the Bench said.

The court said it was only the last order passed by it which seemed to have triggered some government action finally.