Teesha –
The Tripura High Court on 2nd June, while hearing a PIL in relation to a viral video of arbitrary actions of a DM, stopping a marriage function midway, observed that taking men, women and children into the Police Station and detaining them for two hours is a grave concern.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Akil Kureshi and Justice SG Chattopadhyay examined the report filed by the Secretary of the Inquiry Committee, which was constituted by the order dated 28th April, 2021 including a former District Judge.
Though, the Court did not make the report public but it asked the Inquiry Committee to carry out further inquiries in relation to certain aspects and to find out under whose order DM detained attendees.
Further the Court directed the committee to submit its additional report in sealed covers on the hearing.
The committee in its report came to the conclusion that on the night of the incident (26th April, 2021) 13 women. Six children were taken to the women police station and were released next morning asserting them to arrange their own transportation.
It also highlighted that the 2 hour long detention was completely unnecessary, unjust and unreasonable.
In order to conduct an impartial fact-finding inquiry regarding the incident, the state administration agreed to transfer the DM of Agartala in May.