Bombay High Court Directs Maharashtra To Pay Rs 10 Lakh To Parents For Negligent Police Probe Into Daughter’s Death
[ By Bobby Anthony ]The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra state government to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the parents of a minor girl, citing “negligent investigation” by the investigating officer of the police.The deceased minor girl had gone missing on January 1, 2012, according to the prosecution. Her father, Varis Ali had lodged a report the same day and the next...
The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra state government to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the parents of a minor girl, citing “negligent investigation” by the investigating officer of the police.
The deceased minor girl had gone missing on January 1, 2012, according to the prosecution. Her father, Varis Ali had lodged a report the same day and the next day, on January 2, the girl's body was found.
On January 3, Varis Ali learnt that a person working in advertising firm in his area caused the death of his daughter and had disposed of her body in Sambhaji Nagar area. He gave that information to police and then accused Nazir was arrested on January 3, 2012.
Varis Ali lodged report against Nazir Khan and his employer, Vinod Meher. While Khan was sentenced to death, Meher was convicted under Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to three years in prison.
While the first post mortem report of the victim was prepared by Dr Pankaj Gajare, another report was prepared by Dr Bhalchandra Chikalkar on the directions of the High Court after Varis Ali filed a petition alleging faulty investigation in the case.
According to Nazir, he found the body of the child lying dead below a plywood panel. Plywood stored there had fallen on body of child, Nazir had claimed.
However, the court noted that “whether plywood sheets stored in the godown of accused persons slipped and fell on the person of deceased victim because of its negligent storing or because of some human act is the moot question which needed investigation and answer. Unfortunately, in the present matter, the (police) investigating officer has not brought on record any material in that respect”.
“Now, it is impossible to find out the truth or the real incident, but omission to conduct proper investigation despite directions of this court definitely entitles the family of the victim to reasonable compensation from the state government. We find that grant of amount of Rs 10 lakh to her parents for such lapse on the part of the investigating agency or officer will meet the ends of justice,” the court stated.