HC orders probe into visually impaired lawyer assault case

Chennai, June 7 (UNI) Madras High Court today appointed a Commission headed by retired Judge K P Sivasubramaniam to probe into the alleged police brutality on a vision-impaired advocate on December 14, 2006 at Coimbatore.

In its order, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Mr Justice P Jyothimani, also directed the commission to submit its report in two months and posted to August 13 further hearing of the petitions filed by Coimbatore Bar Association (CBA) and Advocate A S Mohamed Rafi seeking judicial probe by a retired judge into the alleged assault besides compensation of Rs ten lakh.

The Bench said both sides suggested the appointment of a commission headed by Mr Justice Sivasubramaniam, who retired from Madras High Court, to ascertain the truth.

The government pleader said the state government and police would fully co-operate with the commission and produce all relevant records besides providing office premises and other facilities in Coimbatore. The expenditure will be borne by the state government, the Bench said.

In their petitions, the CBA and Mr Rafi submitted on December 14, 2006, the advocate bumped into a woman constable while crossing the road to catch a bus at Gandhipuram Bus Stand at 2115 hrs.

Ms Sathyabanu abused him in filthy language and slapped him on his face and body repeatedly. Five more constables joined her in the assault and dragged him to the All Women Police Station where he was brutally mandhandled.

Later, he was taken to Kattur Police Station, where constable Jai Shankar attacked him. He was severely injured. Later his senior advocate came to the spot and took him to a Government Hospital.

As he was not given proper treatment there, he was shifted to a private hospital. Meanwhile, the police registered a complaint given by Ms Sathyabanu.

However, the advocate's complaint was registered after a long delay. Then the police referred the matter to an RDO enquiry, which they claimed, may not bring out the truth. Hence the present petition for a judicial probe UNI XR GM SM ND1928