03-West Bengal Report.pdf - People's watch

Case Detail:
FF Code : W.B./Mon (Gopen Chandra
Sharma)/Murshidabad/June-
30.06.2007/SL.No. – 74
Victim(s)
Perpetrator(s)
:
:
Hamida Bibi
1) Somnath Banerjee, OC; 2)
Tuhin Biswas, SI
Location : Jalangi PS, Murshidabad, West
Bengal
Date of incident : 26/06/2007
Victim Hamida Bibi, age 22, is married to Atabar Seikh and resides at Dayarampur, Jalangi,
Murshidabad, West Bengal.
On 24 June 2007 at midnight, Atabar Seikh was arrested by police from Jalangi PS under a
false charge u/s 363/366A IPC (kidnapping, etc.). The false charge related to a love affair
between a boy and a girl whom the police had in illegal custody, and the police were motivated
by a longstanding smuggling dispute. However, the police committed many violations of the
Supreme Court’s arrest guidelines while conducting the arrest.
On 26 June 2007 at around 10.00am, the police produced Atabar Seikh before the court.
Some miscreants from the village abused Hamida Bibi and the wife of Jalal Dhali. They
entered Hamida Bibi’s house while no male was present, with heinous motives. The local
people, hearing much noise, began to assemble. The miscreants departed.
At around 10.00pm, the miscreants returned and tried to outrage Hamida Bibi’s modesty, and
threatened her life.
The next day at around 10.00am, Hamida Bibi and Jalal Dhali’s wife went to the Jalangi PS to
lodge a complaint. The OC told them to wait; they waited for many hours, but could not lodge
a complaint. OC Somnath Banerjee drove them away, insulting them and threatening them
with dire consequences. Hamida Bibi returned home.
On 28 June 2007, Hamida Bibi sent a written complaint to the Superintendent of Police of
Murshidabad. No action was taken.
Hamida Bibi feels insecure and helpless.
West Bengal
117
Annual Report on Torture
2007