Court fines police inspectors for arresting innocent person in POCSO case

The second Additional Fast-track Special Court (POCSO court) here has ordered two women police officers to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh for arresting an innocent person and keeping him in judicial custody for one year in a POCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) case.

Judge K U Radhakrishna, in his order, directed sub-inspector P P Rosamma and inspector Revathi of the women police station in the city to pay the fine as compensation to Naveen Sequeira, who was acquitted by the court in the case.

The judge ordered also the State Home Department secretary to take legal action against the erring women police officers.

Sequeira was arrested on mistaken identity based on the statement of the victim in the case who mentioned the name of Naveen as her tormentor.

The case was slapped on Sequeira by the sub-inspector and was handed over to the inspector Revathi for investigation. Subsequently, a chargesheet was filed against him.

During the hearing and taking into cognizance the arguments of the lawyers for Sequeira, the court came to the conclusion that Sequeira was innocent and slapped the fine on the two erring police officers.