Chennai: The State Human Rights Commission has slapped a fine of Rs 30,000 on a woman inspector for demanding a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a techie to settle a dispute with his estranged wife. Without following the due procedure of law the inspector had arrested a software engineer in 2012.
In the petition software engineer V.M. Baskar submitted that he resides in Chennai and all his other family members stay at Dharmapuri. His marriage with Soniya was solemnised on November 10, 2008. They had a girl child.
At the time of marriage, he was working at IBM, Mumbai. Due to the behaviour of his wife, he suffered mental agony. His wife walked out of his house one day with all her belongings.
He registered a case of assault against her in Choolaimedu police station on October 2011. In retaliation, she filed a complaint before CoP, who transferred the case to All Women Police Station (AWPS), Thousand Lights for enquiry.
On November 14, 2011, she forcefully entered into his brother’s house with some hooligans and beat up his relatives.
He filed a divorce petition before the III Additional Family Court at Chennai and petition has been pending in the court. In retaliation, Soniya lodged a criminal complaint against him and other family members at AWPS, Dharmapuri. Inspector Devika Rani registered a criminal case and arrested his brother Balasubramanian and remanded him to judicial custody.
When he went to meet Devika Rani in the AWPS, inspector demanded '50,000 from him to drop charges and threatened him by using un-parliamentary words and slapped him on his face. He sought suitable action against the inspector.
Denying the allegation Devika Rani stated that Baskar and her in-laws harassed Soniya and abused her and demanded dowry. Hence, she registered a case against Baskar and five others.
She had not demanded a bribe from Baskar and not slapped him. SHRC Member D. Jayachandran held that the inspector had violated the human rights of Baskar. The cop had not followed the due procedure of law in registering the case and arresting Baskar and others.
Therefore, Baskar is entitled to seek a compensation of Rs 30,000 from the inspector. The commission directed the state government to pay the compensation and recover the amount from the inspector later.
