Mangaluru : Following the protest after the alleged assault on Advocate Uttam Rai, at kadri Police station, the Police were given three days to arrest T.D.Nagaraj (who is already suspended…) informed to S.P.Chengappa, Advocate and President of Mangalore Bar Association in a press meet held at the court premises on Saturday August 1 2015,
Lawyers staged a strong protest outside the police station until Nagaraj was suspended and also demanded his arrest following which he was only suspended.
It is alleged that Advocate, Uttam Rai who was assaulted at Kadri police station, with a motive to get him debarred from the Bar Council, was threathened by inspector T D Nagaraj after insult using abusive words and a gold chain worth Rs 5,000 was snatched from him, apart from cash and mobile phone. Advocate was pushed inside the lock up and hit on the chest, temple and stomach and was also kicked by the Inspector and other policemen,” Chengappa alleged.
“Inspector Nagaraj also insulted the entire lawyer community. The Mangaluru bar association members who came to the police station to discuss the issue were also ill-treated. They then held a protest outside the Kadri police station,” he added.
“The higher police officials, realizing the seriousness of the issue and demand of the lawyers, suspended T D Nagaraj immediately. Urwa police station also,registerd a non-bailable case against the inspector, under IPC sections 323, 341, 504, 506, 384, 386, 394, 511 and 34. We sought assurance and were assured, that the accused police inspector and other police personnel involved in the case would be arrested,” he said.
It also alleges that inspector Nagaraj had demanded Rs 10,000 from Uttam Rai’s client, for which another case was also registered though amount was not paid , after the inspector was told him that his client was financially poor and will not be able to pay.
Chengappa also added that the lawyer Uttam Rai has been admitted to a private hospital in the city. As a counter action, he said that T D Nagaraj inspector, has got himself admitted to a hospital and filed a counter case against Uttam Rai under IPC section 353 for obstructing official duty. ” Insptie of assurance by police, they have gone back on their word and registered and FIR, bar association strongly condemns it as fabricated and false case ,” he added.
Generally people are scared, to go to police station, and seek advocates personal assistance and as a moral support will have to accompany the clients which is part of duty and service rendered to them. When, our reporter spoke to Chengappa, he also stated that a supreme court ruling allows advocates to render such service. He also stated that this incidence a lawyer getting beaten up, have increased the scare of people to go to police station and they will seek lawyers accompanying them” he said.
Several meetings to comprise, were held by concerned police officials to settle the matter but we are for no compromise, especially when the police mete such treatment to people after making them come to the police station.. An awareness in society is a must and will create this among them in many ways and not only by this protest. All are equal before the law and we will ensure that inspector Nagaraj will not got scot free. We have set the time to arrest him, and if they don’t a massive protest of the entire State Bar Council will be held ,” Chengappa warned.
We hold awareness camps on law for people, and in future necessity for frequent awareness, for the police department is felt, due to such incidents and to be a deterrent for any such action by the police in future,particularly inside the police station. Chengappa stressed the need for CCTVs to be installed in every police station to stop corruption and such unprovoked, unwarranted police action in the police department,” Chengappa added.
People who had assembled in an around the Kadri police station on the day of the advocate Uttam Rai alleged assault by the police and flash protest by lawyers expressed great concern about the increased incidents of Police inspectors joined by other police personnel inside the police station, stating about the alleged assault and death of David D’Souza, President, Dakshina Kannada, PUCL at Rural police station, in Mangalore itself in the beginning of July 2015.
A need and the plan to CCTV’s to be installed in police stations throughout the country was announced at a press meet by Union Law and Justice Minister Khurshid Salman khan, way back on June 28th 2012 and the link to the story is attached