Jharkhand Police Association Rejects Advocates' Allegations Against Officer
Ranchi: The Jharkhand Police Association (JPA) has firmly dismissed claims made by advocates that an officer-in-charge at a police station in the city misbehaved with two women lawyers. The association labeled the allegations as entirely baseless and without merit.
Advocates' Complaint and Allegations
A female advocate, Sabina Kujur, filed a formal complaint with the Ranchi District Bar Association (RDBA), alleging that she and her colleague, Soni Lakra, visited the SC-ST police station on Thursday to register a case. According to her account, Officer-in-Charge Mahesh Munda shouted at them, used abusive language, and physically forced her out by grabbing her hand.
Police Association's Counter-Claims
JPA State President Rahul Kumar Murmu asserted that the women advocates were attempting to exert undue pressure on Munda to file an FIR based on a complaint that preliminary investigations had found to be false. Murmu emphasized that the allegations of Munda pulling an advocate out of his office were incorrect.
He clarified that two women constables, Sangeeta and Ritu, were present at the scene and were instructed to escort the advocates out of the office, ensuring proper protocol was followed.
Escalation and Demands for Inquiry
Murmu further noted that the advocates demonstrated in front of the SC-ST Police Station on both Friday and Saturday, which he described as an effort to apply unfair pressure on the police. He called for the RDBA to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident and present its findings.
To support the police's version of events, Murmu offered to provide closed-circuit television camera footage from outside the officer-in-charge's office, stating it would reveal the true sequence of events.
Bar Association's Response
In response to the allegations, members of the RDBA abstained from court work on Friday and wore black badges on Saturday as a form of protest. They demanded immediate action against Officer Munda, highlighting the tension between legal professionals and law enforcement in the region.
This incident underscores ongoing challenges in police-advocate relations and raises questions about procedural integrity in handling complaints within the judicial system.
