The Bombay High Court has ordered Diu, Daman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli administration to pay a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the editor of a local daily for being was handcuffed and paraded in Daman in 2009
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The Bombay High Court has ordered Diu, Daman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli administration to pay a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the editor of a local daily for being was handcuffed and paraded in Daman in 2009. The division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Amjad Sayed also stated that departmental action must be taken against the three police personnel who handcuffed journalist, Satish Sharma, and paraded him.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, an FIR was registered by Diu police station against Sharma, who is said to have written many articles to expose the then administrator. He was then arrested on June 30, 2009. But, unlike norm, he wasn’t produced before a local magistrate. Instead, cops are said to have taken him to Daman, which is 700 kms away by bus. The report added that he was then paraded through crowded streets from the bus stand to Daman police station.
Sharma went on to file a complaint, after which an enquiry was conducted into the same. He also filed a separated complaint with the Press Council of India. The HT report went on to add that Sharma then approached the HC, seeking compensation. The high court concluded the police was wrong in its act, and that the scribe was subjected to unnecessary humiliation.
“The action of handcuffing and parading the petitioner through the streets is completely contrary to the directions of the apex court,” the bench said. The court then passed the order, asking the union territory to pay the compensation amount of Rs 4 lakh to the journalist within two months or else pay the same with an interest at 9% per annum.