THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Citing lapses on the part of the police in invoking sections like sedition in some recent cases, state police chief Loknath Behera has directed the police officials that cases under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, NIA Act and sedition charges should be registered only with the consent of the district police chief concerned, that too subject to the availability of strong evidence.
The directive has been issued in the backdrop of the recent controversies over registering a case under charges of sedition against writer C. Kamal and taking into custody activist Nadeer in connection with a case registered under UAPA. Mr Behera also directed the range inspector generals of police to take steps to conduct awareness sessions for DySP and SP rank officers on UAPA, sedition and other sensitive laws.
According to a statement from the police headquarters, Mr Behera issued the directives in the wake of lapses in framing sections in some recent cases against activists. He also directed that in cases that should be mandatorily probed by an officer of a specified designation, first-information reports should be prepared in consultation with the concerned police officer. If that officer is not available, the next officer superior to him should be consulted. The Supreme Court directives and circulars on the steps to be followed in the event of the arrest of a person should be mandatorily followed, said Mr Behera.
