The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has recommended to the State government to pay a compensation of ₹1 lakh to a government bus conductor, who was assaulted by a policeman during a quarrel in Chennai in May 2022.
SHRC member V. Kannadasan recommended to the State government to recover the sum from the respondent Grade I police constable John Luis as per the rules. The Commission had taken suo motu cognisance of the media report over the incident.
In his complaint, B. Balachandar, a State transport corporation bus conductor, said that he spit on the road at Saidapet and the respondent had questioned him about it. The policeman then hit him on the face causing bleeding injuries.
The SHRC took suo motu cognisance of the media report and sought a report from the Commissioner of Greater Chennai Police. After perusing the report, the Commission issued summons to both the parties to appear for an inquiry.
The complainant appeared before the Commission and had filed an affidavit and marked five documents. The Taramani Police Station submitted the policeman in question had been declared a deserter on June 1. It said he was on medical leave in February and did not report to duty eventually.
During the hearing of the case, the Commission observed that the police failed to inquire with the respondent and other witnesses and underlined “their slackness in duty by not registering an FIR immediately after lodging a complaint against the respondent by the victim.
“It is well settled that as per Section 154 of Cr.P.C. if any credible information is given to the police official or a cognizable offence was committed by anybody else, the Station House Officer is duty bound to register a criminal case,” the SHRC said in its order.
But in this case, it was mentioned in the report of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Adyar District, Chennai, that the Station House Officer received a complaint from the victim and a CSR was issued to him but an FIR was not filed, it pointed out. “Therefore, not registering the FIR on the complaint of the victim also amounts to violation of human rights of the victim,” the Commission observed.
