91 per cent of TN cops think ‘custodial torture' is sometimes necessary: Report
The survey showed that there wasn't a wide difference between the constabulary or IPS officers in the attitude towards extra-judicial measures, while those in the upper subordinate ranks showed relatively lesser inclination. In fact, IPS officers showed highest propensity to justify torture (34%), followed by the constabulary (32%).
Only 35% in TN responded 'always' to the question on the likelihood of all arrest procedures being properly followed. Another 50% said 'sometimes' and 15% said 'rarely or never'. The survey, which also tried to capture institutional bias, showed that 44% of TN police felt Dalits are naturally prone to 'great or some extent' to commit crimes.
Anoop Jaiswal, former DGP from TN, told TNIE that in India 'police interrogation' invariably meant 'roughing up' a suspect, which is not just illegal but criminal.
Highlighting that the urgency to close cases swiftly by making suspects confess or recover stolen property was the key reason for custodial violence, Jaiswal said, 'Police should not commit bigger crimes to solve smaller crimes.' He stressed that officers at all levels, and not just in subordinate ranks, should undergo sensitisation programmes.
Meeran Chadha Borwankar, former DGP from Maharashtra, who served as DG of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), responding to a set of findings shared with her by TNIE, raised doubts about the survey methodology as certain findings like TN police being more prone to adopting 'any means' to solve a case and IPS officers showing high propensity to justify torture did not seem correct.
However, on the need for reforms, she said the basic and in-service training must have high emphasis on Constitution and human rights.
She added that prompt action against deviant behaviour showed good results.
While underlining that a well-resourced, trained and prompt criminal justice system will not have such violations, encounter killings in particular, she asked, 'The pertinent question is – are we ready to invest in it?'
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