Bihar Human Rights Commission summons Manjhaul SDPO for 'illegal' arrest

PATNA: Bihar Human Rights Commission (BHRC) has taken serious note of the action of Begusarai police wherein the police went in search for a dead person and instead arrested his younger brother and put him in lock up. The police were repeatedly told that the person they were searching was no more, but this fell on deaf ears. The incident occurred at Bara village under Khodabandpur police station in Begusarai district.
A police party accompanied by Khodabandpur PS station house officer (SHO) and the local chowkidar, at 1am on September 2, raided the house of Indrashekhar Jha with a warrant to arrest his elder brother, Chandrashekhar Jha. The arrest warrant was issued against Chandrashekhar for not appearing before a court to give evidence in some case.
Indrashekhar and his neighbours repeatedly told the police that Chandrashekhar was dead. But the police arrested Indrashekhar, took him to the police station and put him in lock up. He was released next morning, and the excuse given was that it happened on account of mistake by the chowkidar. Indrashekhar, after his release, filed a complaint with the commission.
BHRC member Neelmani told TOI, "The commission, after going through the details, found it to be a gross violation of human rights." He said the petitioner had stated in his complaint that all the policemen who came to his house that night were in a drunken state. In its order, the commission said, 'If the allegations are true, it is a sad reflection on the working of the police." The commission, on October 10, directed Begusarai SP to get the allegations inquired and directed SDPO Manjhaul to personally appear before the commission on November 6 along with inquiry report and action taken by the SP, Neelmani said.