Kolkata: A division vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Friday, sought a detailed report from the West Bengal Police on the complaints regarding accused persons being paraded on the streets with ropes around their waists after being arrested.
A petition was filed in the Calcutta High Court after reports of a couple of such incidents went viral on social media.
The matter came up for hearing before the division vacation bench of Justice Jay Sengupta and Justice Smita Das De on Friday afternoon, and at the end of the hearing, the said bench sought a report from the state police within the next three weeks.
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled after four weeks.
After a detailed hearing in the matter, the said bench observed that whatever crime the person might be accused of, the police could not defame the accused publicly in such a manner after the arrest.
“The police can surely arrest an accused and take action against the accused persons as per the legal provisions. If the guilt is proved, then there are even provisions for the death penalty. But surely, no accused persons can be defamed in such a manner in the name of arrest,” Justice Sengupta observed.
The said bench also questioned the police about the circumstances under which ropes were tied around the waists of the accused persons.
The state government counsel informed the court that in most such cases the accused persons were arrested on charges of extortion and were then taken to the spot to recreate the scene.
On that argument, the said bench questioned whether there was a possibility of the accused persons escaping from police custody.
The bench also observed that while the police are required to take all precautions to prevent any escape attempt by the accused persons, the personal dignity of the accused persons would also have to be kept in mind by the cops.
(IANS)
