HC for formation of independent commission to probe complaints against cops
The High Court (HC) has issued a ruling asking the authorities concerned why an independent commission should not be formed for fair investigation into the allegations of crimes against the law enforcers.
A bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah issued the ruling on Sunday following a writ filed on the form of public interest litigation.
Earlier on 23 November, the HC bench set 28 November (today) for giving its decision on the writ petition, jointly filed by 102 Supreme Court lawyers on 29 February.
Attorney General AM Amin Uddin appeared for the state in the court on 23 November and lawyer Shishir Manir stood for the writ.
During the hearing, lawyer Shishir argued that many countries, including India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Australia, Canada and many counties of the United Kingdom formed such commission as per the requirement of seven international UN conventions.
Bangladesh is among the signatories of the conventions, he said.
Shishir argued that an independent commission was constituted in 16 provinces of India following the directive of the Supreme Court while such commission was formed in 11 provinces of India on an executive order from the government.
Shishir submitted 584 complaints against the members of law enforcement agencies reported in various newspapers in three years from January 2017 to June 2021.
The alleged crimes included 93 deaths in custody, of which 63 deaths were in the crossfire and 30 others in torture.
Other allegations of the reported crimes of the law enforcers included 21 allegations of tortures, 11 enforced disappearances, 48 beatings and intimidations, 27 rapes and stalking, 18 muggings and robberies, 67 extortions and briberies, 16 land grabbing, 37 drug peddling, 22 narcotics trading, 22 denials of recording cases and pressurising to withdraw cases, 32 harassment by filing false cases, 29 negligence of investigations, 33 torture of journalists, 12 harbouring criminals, 12 negligence of duty and 7 business of appointments.
Attorney general AM Amin Uddin opposed the writ petition, stating that many members of law enforcement agencies have been punished for misconducts through the departmental mechanism of the police in the last few years.
He opposed the establishment of such a commission as the police headquarters on 13 November, 2017 opened the Inspector General of Police's complaint cell, where anyone could file a complaint against the misdeeds and mismanagement of police.
Moreover, there is the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act 2013 and members of law enforcement agencies can be prosecuted for torture in custody or death, Amin said.
