Karnataka - Bangalore

SHRC wants to beef up its investigation wing

Guidelines: The booklet that lists the procedure to be followed during an arrest

Bangalore: On the occasion of the 60th International Human Rights Day on Wednesday, the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission is releasing a chart that states the procedure to be followed during an arrest, and the rights of the person arrested. The police will be directed to display it at all the police stations and public offices.

Some of the important procedures to be followed include producing the arrested person before a magistrate within 24 hours and recording the exact time of arrest.

Once the chart is displayed, the next crucial step is to monitor and ensure that the procedure is indeed followed at every police station. And that, precisely, is the problem area.

The investigating team of the KSHRC, which has the task of monitoring rights abuses and probing violations, has no more than two high-ranking officers (Inspector-General of Police and Deputy Superintendent of Police) and a bunch of constables numbering about 10 for the entire State. With this woefully inadequate staff strength, how can KSHRC ensure that rights abuses are recorded and speedily investigated?

The shortage of personnel in its own investigation wing sometimes forces KSHRC to depend on the State police, throwing the independence of inquiry itself into question, considering that policing the police is an important part of KSHRC’s duties. “There may be instances where the jurisdictional officer is himself the offender,” says B. Parthasarathy, member of the commission.

A strengthened investigation is also essential for speeding up disposal of cases. From its inception on July 25, 2007, till now, KSHRC has taken up 5,374 cases, of which 1,125 are suo-motto cases. Of these, less than 50 per cent (2,247 cases, including 69 taken up suo-motto) have so far been disposed off. “Confidence in the commission will increase if the investigation is quick,” says Mr. Parthasarathy.

Inspector-General of Police (SHRC) Bipin Gopalakrishna says that the wing needs officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police at each of the six police ranges. Each Superintendent of Police should have about 10 police personnel under him. “This will help in quickly attending to complaints,” he says.

The proposal, adds Mr. Parthasarathy, is to station a wing of the investigation team in each of the police divisions. “With only two police officers, they cannot rush to every corner of the State,” he adds.

The KSHRC has already written to the Government seeking better infrastructure and a strengthened investigation wing.

A study team of the Law Department has visited the KSHRC and taken stock of its needs.

Some efforts have been made towards meeting the long-standing demand of providing extra space to house the commission.

But the more crucial demand for strengthening the investigating wing is yet to be met.

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