the goan I network
PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa has poured scorn upon the Mapusa police for parading the mother who had abandoned her newborn baby at a garage in Mapusa saying the parents were paraded “Like hunters posing with a trophy”.
Taking suo motu cognizance of a photo that appeared in several dailies of the police posing with the mother, the Court sought a response from the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police as well as the Police Inspector and those policemen seen in the photograph.
“The Police officials, are posing along with the mother, as if the Police officials, are displaying some trophy. The photograph conjures [an] image of some Maharaja/hunters posing with their trophy after a hunt. At least prima facie, such action on the part of the Police officials, who are seen in the picture may amount to human right violation of the mother in the picture,” the High Court bench of justices Nutan Sardesai and M S Sonak said.
“The presumption of innocence, is one of the cornerstones of our criminal jurisprudence. Similarly, the right to privacy as well as dignity are now fundamental rights guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution of India. At least prima facie, the action of the Police officials, in virtually parading the mother before the media, may amount to rendering such fundamental rights of the mother, a casualty,” the High Court noted.
“We direct the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to place on record whether any rules or guidelines are in place in the matter of Police officials interacting with media in pending investigations in general and posing for photographs along with persons accused of having committed any offences, in particular. PI Kapil Nayak and PSI Amin Naik are also granted an opportunity to file their response in the matter, since, they prominently figure in the photograph, along with other police personnel,” the court said.
The High Court also directed the Directorate of Women and Child Department to examine the issue and file an affidavit as to the steps taken with regard to the welfare of three minor children.
“The couple has two other children, aged six and four years respectively. It is necessary that proper steps are taken to secure and protect these children. We are concerned that they are not left abandoned, on account of the arrest of their parents. The State and its agencies have to make suitable arrangements to take care of such minor children, if such an arrangement has not already been made,” the High Court said.
The Mapusa police had arrested a couple from Aurangabad for abandoning a male newborn child after an argument. The newborn was found abandoned on Tuesday evening in a garage in Mapusa and was referred to the Asilo Hospital. However, police said that hospital staff recognised the newborn as having been delivered at the same hospital a few hours earlier, which helped identify the parents.
The Police officials, are posing along with the mother, as if the Police officials, are displaying some trophy. The photograph conjures [an] image of some Maharaja/hunters posing with their trophy after a hunt
At least prima facie, such action on the part of the Police officials, who are seen in the picture may amount to human right violation of the mother in the picture
The presumption of innocence, is one of the cornerstones of our criminal jurisprudence. Similarly, the right to privacy as well as dignity are now fundamental rights guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution of India
At least prima facie, the action of the Police officials, in virtually parading the mother before the media, may amount to rendering such fundamental rights of the mother, a casualty
