Palakkad: The police have threatened 84-year-old Bharati Amma, who was arrested in case of mistaken identity, and demanded that she withdraw her complaint given against the police officers who arrested her. Her brother told that police arrived at her residence and demanded that she sign papers showing her willingness to withdraw the complaint.
Bharati Amma had sent a complaint to the Human Rights Commission and also to the Chief Minister for arresting her without any reason and taking her to court. Though the incident occurred in 1998, it was only last month that Bharati Amma got acquitted in the case.
According to Bharati Amma’s brother a police squad of one SI and two police constables including a woman officer reached Bharati Amma’s house in uniform and demanded that Bharati Amma sign a statement that she withdraw all her complaint and that she has no intention of claiming any compensation.
The worried Bharati Amma called up her brother, who told her not to sign any statements. When she informed the police officers about it, they went out of the house disappointed and using bad words.
The police had arrested Bharati Amma over mistaken identity. The incident occurred after a maid servant got into a quarrel with a man named Rajagopal living at Vennakkara in Palakkad. The maid, who was angered because she got dismissed, broke the window glass and flower pots of Rajagopal’s house. Following this Rajagopal registered a complaint with the police.
The maid’s name was also Bharati Amma. The police had arrested the maid Bharati Amma and while giving her address, the maid gave the address of the other Bharati Amma to trick the police.
The maid absconded after getting bail in the case and went missing. Following this, the police arrested the innocent Bharati Amma and presented her in court. In a span of four years, Bharati Amma had to visit the court three or four times.
The police is giving the excuse that the name of the real accused is also Bharati Amma and the address given is the same as of the innocent Bharati Amma.
Fortunately, the original complainant, Rajagopal, came in person before the Chief Judicial Magistrate and gave the statement that the arrested Bharati Amma is not the accused. This opened the door for Bharati Amma’s acquittal in the case. Rajagopal also said that he is not interested to proceed with the case.
The police did not bother to check and verify if the arrested person was the real accused. They just acted up on the details given by the maid, who is the accused in the case. The accused Bharati Amma is still absconding and the police have no clue about where she is.
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