‘Why no criminal proceedings were initiated against police personnel responsible for death’
Observing that ‘custodial death’ of Mariamma was a fit case to be investigated by the CBI, Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), which filed a PIL plea seeking judicial inquiry into her death, to implead CBI in the matter.
A Bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice A. Rajasheker Reddy, hearing the petition, instructed Assistant Solicitor General (ASG) N. Rajeshwara Rao to ensure CBI SP appeared before the court on the next date of hearing. The Bench also directed Advocate General B.S. Prasad to hand over the file relating to Mariamma’s custodial death to the ASG.
Mariamma (45) of Chinthakani village of Khammam district was brought to Addagudur police station of Rachakonda police commissionerate for questioning in a theft case. Two others were also brought for interrogation along with her. She died on this June 18 allegedly due to injuries sustained during third degree methods adopted by police during interrogation.
Soon after her death, the police higher-ups conducted an internal inquiry. The government paid a compensation of ₹35 lakh to the family members of Mariamma. A sub-inspector and two constables of Addagudur police station, who were initially suspended, were dismissed from service eventually.
Meanwhile, Jaya Vindhyala of PUCL filed a PIL plea seeking judicial inquiry into the woman’s death and compensation of ₹5 crore to her family members. When the petition came up for hearing on Wednesday, the CJ sought to know why no criminal proceedings were initiated against police personnel responsible for the woman’s death.
The AG told the Bench that Mariamma died of a heart attack as she was suffering from some ailments. The government also paid compensation to her family members, he said. “That will not bring her life back”, the CJ observed.
The CJ, after perusing the first Post Mortem Examination (PME) report, noted that it did not disclose any injuries on the body of Mariamma. However, after the HC ordered for a second autopsy and inquiry by Judicial Magistrate of First Class of Alair, the second PME report brought to light that there were injuries on her body, he said.
Showing photographs of the PME report (indicating injuries on the victim’s body) to the AG, the CJ said, “heart of anybody, if beaten like this, will stop”. The Bench felt that it was a fit case to be investigated by an independent agency like the CBI.
The matter was posted to November 22 for next hearing.
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