Rights panel takes railway police to task

MUMBAI: The state human rights commission has directed the railway police to ensure that dignity and human rights of an arrested person are protected.
The commission made these recommendations recently while hearing the case of 71-year-old former national-level boxer Aspi Irani,who was arrested by the railway police at Mumbai Central station on September 21, 2002, for travelling in a ladies compartment of a local train.
The railway police failed to inform Irani''s family about the arrest. As a result, Mr Irani had to spend eight days in jail. The commission had suo motu taken up the matter after a report was published in TOI.
The rights body had served notices to Mr Irani and railway police chief Rakesh Maria. Mr Irani''s daughter Azmin, in her affidavit, said that when she visited the police station at Mumbai Central on September 21 and again after a few days, the police did not inform her that Mr Irani was arrested.
He was found in the Grant Road area on his release from jail after eight days.
In their response, the railway police claimed that Mr Irani did not furnish his exact address and telephone number and hence they could not contact his relatives.
The commission, however, could not find any evidence to prove that Mr Irani had not given his address and telephone number to the police.
The panel also sought a reply from assistant inspector H.S. Chavan, who was accused of not informing Irani''s family about the arrest.
Although it was felt that prima facie there was no violation of human rights, a three-member commission headed by Justice Anant Mane noted that the railway police overlooked the safeguards afforded to an arrested person.