State Police Accountability Commission: 243 complaints received against policemen in 2021

GUWAHATI: The State Police Accountability Commission (SPAC), Assam, received as many as 243 complaints against police personnel of the state, including 40 complaints of serious misconduct by police personnel, in 2021. As of late, the SPAC has submitted its annual report for 2021 to the State Government. The report revealed these statistics. The report bears the signatures of SPAC chairman Justice BK Katakey, a former judge of the Gauhati High Court, and its members Gaurav Bothra, Maniranta Mahanta, and Mukesh Sahay.

The public can lodge complaints with SPAC for misconduct and serious misconduct by police personnel. According to the report, in 2021, SPAC received 203 complaints of misconduct and 40 complaints of serious misconduct. The nature of complaints for serious misconduct, according to the report, is: two complaints for death in police custody; two complaints for grievous hurt; one complaint for molestation, rape, or attempt to rape; ten complaints for arrest or detention without due process of law; three complaints for forceful deprivation from the rightful ownership or possession of property; five complaints for blackmailing or extortion; and 17 complaints for non-registration of FIRs.

The category-wise breakup of complaints against police personnel for misconduct is: 93 complaints for police inaction, negligence, or delay in investigation; 39 complaints for harassment, atrocities, misbehaviour, or threatening; 30 complaints for misuse of power; 16 complaints for perfunctory investigation; and 25 complaints for miscellaneous matters.

The victim or any other person affected by the illegal or unjustified actions of police within the meaning of serious misconduct and misconduct as prescribed in the Assam Police Act, 2007, can lodge complaints with SPAC. The SPAC that came into effect in 2008 enhances the accountability of the police to society as a whole.

The SPAC hears the complainants and accused police personnel to reach a conclusion and files the report with the government.

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