In a recent court case, the Madras High Court agreed with a decision against a police officer, Ravichandran, who was found guilty of violating a man's human rights. The court ordered him to pay money as a penalty and faced job-related punishment.
The case started when the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission noticed a news report from 2018. The report described how Ravichandran, then a traffic police inspector, allegedly pushed a man named M. Dharmaraja off his bike. The incident happened after Dharmaraja complained about not being allowed to take leave for his mother’s funeral. CCTV footage showed Ravichandran dragging Dharmaraja into a police car.
"The victim was treated in the Government Hospital, Royapettah and KOSHA Hospital, for a broken right shoulder and right big toe."
The Commission looked into the incident, confirming it through a report by the Joint Commissioner of Police. The report supported the newspaper's story, showing Ravichandran's aggressive actions. Medical records backed up the victim’s injuries.
Ravichandran claimed that Dharmaraja was drunk and fell from his bike on his own. However, the court noted that Ravichandran didn't provide proof to support this claim. The court emphasized that even if Dharmaraja was drunk, it didn't excuse the officer’s actions.
Judges M.S. Ramesh and R. Sakthivel ruled that Ravichandran violated Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees personal dignity and human rights. They agreed with the recommendation for compensation but canceled the extra job-related punishment since it had already been started.
"Article 21 of the Constitution of India gives every person the right to a life with human dignity."
The court decided that Ravichandran violated human rights and must pay money as a penalty. His actions were a clear violation, resulting in a legal and financial penalty.
