A 43-year-old woman from Kochi, who was allegedly assaulted by a police inspector while she was three months pregnant, is steadfastly continuing her legal battle for justice. The case against the suspended officer, K G Prathapachandran, saw developments in an Ernakulam court on Friday.
Court Proceedings and Key Dates
The Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) court considered petitions linked to the high-profile case. According to the woman's lawyer, Advocate Rebin Vincent Gralan, the court took up a private complaint filed by the victim, N J Shaimol. She is demanding criminal prosecution against Prathapachandran for the assault that occurred when he was the Ernakulam North Station House Officer (SHO).
The court has posted this complaint for further proceedings on January 17. In addition to this, two other related cases concerning alleged fake charges filed against Shaimol and her husband Benjo are also pending before the same court.
The Pursuit for Evidence and Compensation
Advocate Gralan revealed that the court was informed about the recent suspension of Inspector Prathapachandran. The legal team has also been allocated time to present crucial visual evidence from the police station. This footage was obtained through a High Court order.
Gralan highlighted a systemic issue, pointing out that despite the presence of CCTV cameras in police stations, there is no prevailing system that allows the public to access footage directly. "A system is still not prevailing which enables the allotment of footage to the public unless they move court," he stated.
In a parallel legal move, Shaimol has approached the Kerala High Court with a writ petition seeking compensation for the ordeal she endured.
Victim's Resolve and Officer's Troubled Past
Speaking about the developments, Shaimol expressed satisfaction with the Chief Minister's intervention which led to the officer's suspension. However, she firmly declared her intention to persist with the legal fight until justice is fully served.
This is not the first time allegations of misconduct have been raised against Prathapachandran. In April 2023, a delivery executive named Rineesh alleged that he was slapped by police personnel, including the inspector, during a patrol under the Ernakulam North bridge. Furthermore, another woman came forward alleging that the inspector behaved rudely with her when she visited the police station to meet a friend.
The case continues to spotlight issues of police accountability and the challenges citizens face in seeking redressal against misconduct.
