Kerala ‘false’ POCSO case: Inquiry into custodial torture charge begins

POlice in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta territory on mon began an enquiry into allegations of tutelary torment made by a man who was detained in connection with a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case that investigators now believe was fabricated, a senior police officer said.The complaint comes days after officers of the Koodal police station registered a first information report (FIR) under the POCSO Act based on allegations made by a 13-year-old girl. In her complaint, the girl alleged that she had been sexually abused at her school and at the house of a minor girl by at least 10 persons, including six of her minor classmates.Following the complaint, police detained and questioned several of the accused. However, during the course of the investigation, the girl withdrew her allegations of sexual abuse, significantly altering the direction of the inquiry. Preliminary medical examination reports also indicated that there was no evidence of sexual abuse.On Sunday, a 20-year-old man who had been detained by the police and later released alleged that he was verbally abused and physically assaulted by police personnel during his custody.“On July 3, around 8 am, I was taken away from my home by police officials. They said they were taking me for identification. They took me to the local police quarters and verbally abused me. The officers used cane sticks to land blows on my legs and kicked me with their boots. I told them that I underwent recent heart surgery, but they did not relent,” the man told reporters.“They pulled me by my ears and my hair. I’m in a lot of pain right now,” he said.The mother of one of the minor boys named in the case also alleged that her son had been traumatised by the police action and continued to suffer severe emotional distress.“He said he doesn’t want to return to school. He is too embarassed to step outside his home. At the police station, I saw the officers pulling my son’s collar and threatening him,” she said.Another parent alleged that before the complainant retracted her allegations, the police were determined to implicate the minor boys in the case.“Being named as an accused in a POCSO does not mean the police can do away with all procedures. They verbally abused the boys including my son. They forced them to say that they committed the crime,” she said.A senior officer of the Pathanamthitta district police said the department has ordered parallel inquiries into both the custodial torture allegations and the POCSO case.“We have received the complaint of custodial torture at the hands of the Koodal police. A DySP has been appointed to probe it and the inquiry has begun. Another DySP has already been leading the POCSO case,” the officer told HT.“As far as the POCSO case is concerned, preliminary information suggests that the complaint is false. But there are procedures to be followed in such cases. The complainant is under the supervision of the District Child Protection Officer. She will be given further counselling and mental support. We will work with the district child officer and based on their advice, we will take further action,” he added.Kerala home minister Ramesh Chennithala told reporters on Monday that he would examine the complaint of custodial torture.