Published Apr 20, 2023 | 2:39 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 20, 2023 | 2:40 AM
The Ambasamudram custodial torture case against suspended Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Balveer Singh was transferred to the Crime Branch of the Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) on Wednesday, 19 April.
Based on the recommendation of the Senior IAS official P Amudha, who held a high-level inquiry with victims, DGP Sylendra Babu transferred the case to the external investigation agency.
Senior IAS officer P Amudha, the principal secretary of the Rural Development Department was appointed by the government to inquire about the allegations of custodial torture
This came after a preliminary inquiry was conducted by Mohammed Shabbir Alam, the Cheranmahadevi sub-divisional magistrate-cum-sub-collector.
The senior IAS officer camped at Ambasamudram and recorded the statements of the victims on 17 and 18 April.
She further visited the concerned police stations and inquired with the police personnel.
She submitted her inquiry report to the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday.
An FIR was filed against the suspended ASP, Balveer Singh, by the Tirunelveli District Crime Branch (DCB) Police on Monday based on a complaint filed by one Subash.
Balveer Singh was booked under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing simple hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 326 (voluntarily causes grievous hurt by means of any instrument for shooting, stabbing or cutting, or any instrument which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death), and 506(1) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
A senior police officer of the South Zone told South First that the CB-CID would be taking over the case in a couple of days, and the Tirunelveli DCB would hand over the case files to it.
He added that the FIR could be altered based on the investigation, and that a few more persons who were accused in the case could be booked.
Subash (25) in his complaint stated that he was arrested — along with two others, Lakshmi Shankar and Venkatesh — on 23 March on the charges of attempting to attack a person.
They were taken to the Kallidaikurichi Police Station, where ASP Balveer Singh interrogated them on the first floor of the police station.
“The ASP, who changed his uniform to casuals, wearing a glove, plucked our teeth with a cutting plier and we were forced to clean the blood spilt on the floor,” Subash said in his complaint.
Inspector Rajakumari admitted the trio to a government hospital on the same day. On 24 March, they were discharged and Subash was taken to Papanasam and lodged in a private guest house.
Meanwhile, Subash’s wife Sangeetha moved a local court to produce her husband who was picked by the police.
Subsequently, the police personnel got a letter stating that Subhash’s teeth were broken when he fell down from a vehicle, but it appeared that the victims were apparently pressured to write it.
Meanwhile, government advocate Thirumalai Kumar is said to have, on behalf of the police, negotiated with Subash and his wife and offered them ₹30,000.
On 26 March, a group of victims circulated a video on social media claiming that they were attacked by the ASP.
In the video, they stated that the ASP had plucked their teeth and crushed their private parts during interrogation.
The next day, a few other victims also came forward and talked to reporters about the custodial torture they were subjected to by Balveer Singh.
Following it, District Collector KP Karthikeyan ordered an inquiry. Balveer Singh was suspended on 27 March.
Two days later, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin ordered the suspension of the IPS officer.
Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) also took cognizance of the incident and ordered a separate inquiry.
Following it, seven police personnel including two inspectors and the Superintendent of Police P Saravanan were transferred.
