New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh director general of police over the arrest of ten people in Etah district in an allegedly false case.
Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report, the NHRC observed that “the contents of the report, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights”.
On February 4, 2021, two policemen got involved in a squabble at a dhaba [eatery] over payment of the bill for the food they consumed. “The policemen then falsely implicated and arrested 10 people, including the brother of the owner of the eatery and eight customers in an alleged encounter with them. The persons reportedly arrested by the police are presently lodged in the judicial custody,” the NHRC said in a statement.
An FIR was registered on Wednesday against a head constable and other unnamed persons for implicating ten people, including the dhaba owner, in false cases allegedly for demanding money for the food that was served to the policemen last month, officials said. “The FIR has been registered against head constable Shailendra and others for implicating ten persons, including customers, at a dhaba in several false cases when dhaba owner Pushpendra Yadav demanded money from the constable for the food that was served to them,” a senior official said, citing the FIR.
Also read: UP Police to Probe Cops Who Framed 10 People After Refusing to Pay Dhaba Bill
Meanwhile, the SHO was suspended last week in a separate matter when a surprise inspection led to the discovery of 1,400 cartons of seized liquor missing from the strong room of the police station under his charge.
Kotwali Dehat police had earlier claimed that they raided the dhaba in Jasram village in the evening of February 4, 2021 after getting information that some criminals were planning to commit a robbery, and they arrested ten persons from the dhaba after an encounter, recovering country-made pistols, liquor and ganja from their possession.
The NHRC has asked for a report from the DGP in the matter within six weeks. “The incident, apparently, is a classic example of failure of entire system of checks and balances. Hence, fair investigation is required to be conducted to know as to from where the policemen could manage to procure these items,” it said.
As per the statement, the additional director general of police of Uttar Pradesh has asked the Etah senior superintendent of police to get an investigation conducted in a time-bound manner.