The Gujarat High Court has asked the state government to launch a separate helpline number and a control room for registering complaints against policemen and Traffic Regulation Brigade (TRB) jawans.
The HC initiated the suo motu case following a news report involving cops extorting money from common people. The policemen extorted ₹60,000 from a couple in Ahmedabad on Aug 27.
The bench of chief justice Sunita Agarwal and justice Aniruddha Mayee insisted on a dedicated helpline in coming days.
The state government requested some time, and the next hearing was scheduled for Jan 12, 2024.
The state government said that helpline numbers for public vehicles, including rickshaws and taxis, are already prevalent. Moreover, helpline numbers 100, 112, and 1064 are already taking complaints against police.
The state government said that they are planning to provide an extension where citizens’ calls will be recorded directly, and a police control room (PCR) van will reach the spot.
Earlier, the Gujarat High Court expressed apprehension over a situation where “protectors become perpetrators.”
Milan Kela and his wife Priyanka, along with their one-year-old child, were travelling to South Bopal from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVIP) after midnight.
When they were passing the Ognaj toll booth on SP Ring Road, some policemen stopped their cab and extorted money from them after threatening him. The constables demanded Rs 2 lakh to let the couple off but eventually settled for Rs 60,000 as the couple did not have enough cash.
Also Read: Western Cityscape To Get Facelift With Over 30-Storeyed Structures
