Bengaluru: A fact-finding team has called for the registration of FIR and the arrest of officers involved in the illegal detention and custodial torture of 22-year-old Salman Khan, who had to undergo surgery to have his right arm amputated. The team also sought the compensation of Rs. 50 lakh to the victim and family for the atrocities faced by him.
On October 27, Salman said he was picked up by the officials from the Varthur Police Station for an investigation related to stolen car batteries. The police, he claimed, were in plain clothes and their private vehicle had a Kerala state registration number.
Although he confessed to stealing the car batteries and even took the police to the people he had sold the batteries to. However, his family alleges, he was brought back again to the police station where was allegedly asked to confess to other thefts which he had not committed.
Salman, who is currently recovering at the city’s Hosmat Hospital says he was tied upside down and beaten severely after he refused to confess to the other crimes.
Salman, who used to work in a shop selling chicken, had lost his job during the pandemic. He said that his arm was infected after the alleged assault.
After his release from police custody on October 31, he says he started taking painkillers, but the pain worsened. The family then consulted Hosmat Hospital, where the doctors said his right arm had to be amputated due to the spread of gangrene. The family was told the infection could pose a threat to his life.
The fact-finding team comprising of human rights organisations and advocates including the National Confederation of Human Rights Organizations, the All India Lawyers’ Association for Justice, the Campaign Against Hate Speech said that the silence on the part of the State authorities for over one month to direct an inquiry immediately and suspend the officials is an attack on the very fundamental right to life inherent to every individual.
The team said that critical directions of the Supreme Court regarding conditions for arrest and installation of CCTV cameras in interrogation rooms had not been complied with by the Varthur Police Station.
The team recommended that action must be initiated against the officials under Section 220, 330 and 331 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, amongst other provisions of law. It said a monitored inquiry must be initiated against the Inspector and officials of Varthur Police Station regarding the incident and that action be initiated against the appropriate officials of the Varthur Police Station for failing to comply with the mandatory directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Paramvir Singh Saini v. Baljit Singh and Ors. reported in AIR 2021 SC 64 in regard to installing of working CCTV cameras in all parts of the police station.
The fact-finding team also recommended a compensation of Rs 50 lakhs be granted to Salman Khan and his family for the atrocities faced by him.
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