A Special Branch inquiry into the police’s treatment of a Dalit woman, Bindu, in a false theft case has revealed serious procedural violations. The investigation found that the police failed to follow basic legal protocols and mishandled the case at multiple levels. As a result, the Sub-Inspector of Peroorkada station was suspended, and further action is expected following a detailed report from the Cantonment ACP. The probe confirmed that the police did not properly investigate the allegations before detaining Bindu, who has no prior criminal record and had only recently started working at the complainant’s home.
On April 23, Bindu was taken into custody on suspicion of stealing a necklace. Despite her continuous pleas of innocence, the police allegedly used their authority to intimidate her. The report states that Bindu’s family was not informed, she was denied communication with her children, and she was kept overnight in custody despite there being no need. Although the necklace was discovered the following morning in a dustbin at the complainant’s house, the police failed to inform Bindu and delayed her release until her relatives arrived hours later.
The case gained further attention after Bindu accused the Chief Minister’s personal secretary, P Sasi, of disregarding her formal complaint. She alleged that despite securing prior permission and being accompanied by a lawyer, her grievance was dismissed with indifference. The police were also found to have violated legal norms by interrogating a woman overnight, threatening to implicate her daughters, and denying her basic necessities like drinking water during nearly 20 hours of questioning. The revelations have raised concerns over police misconduct and the systemic neglect of marginalised individuals.
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