PANAJI
A practising lawyer has lodged a complaint with the Superintendent of Police, North Goa, alleging that her brother was assaulted inside Panaji police station while in police custody.
In a complaint submitted on Thursday evening, Advocate Rifad Ballari alleged that she witnessed Police Inspector Vijay Kumar Chodankar slapping her brother, Javed Ballari, inside his cabin at the police station. The complaint also levelled charges against PSI, constable, and another.
According to the complaint, the lawyer visited the police station learning through a local news channel that he was arrested. She claimed she met her brother and was informed by him that he had been falsely implicated in the case.
The complainant stated that she returned to the police station at around 5.50 pm to inquire about when her brother would be produced before a court for remand proceedings.
Upon entering the police station, she alleged in her complaint to North SP that she noticed her brother's lips had turned black and claimed to have seen the police inspector assaulting him inside the cabin in the presence of other police personnel.
The lawyer further alleged that after witnessing the incident, she was pushed out of the cabin by police personnel, including a woman officer.
The complaint seeks transfer of the investigation against Javed Ballari to the Crime Branch, citing the need for an impartial probe.
The complainant has also requested the police to preserve and examine CCTV footage from all cameras installed at the police station to verify the allegations.
