Director-General of Police C. Sylendra Babu has issued a circular asking police personnel not to conduct night-time interrogation of people picked up for investigation.
The circular was issued to Commissioners of Police and district Superintendents of Police following the death of Vignesh, a 25-year-old man, in police custody. The circular instructed them to produce the accused before a court instead, as and when they are arrested in criminal cases.
It may be recalled that Vignesh was taken into custody on the midnight of April 18, when the police were conducting vehicle checks near Kellys at Purasawalkam in Chennai. He was detained overnight for allegedly possessing machetes and ganja. On April 19, he allegedly suffered a seizure while having breakfast. The police rushed him to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, which declared him dead. Three police personnel - Greater Chennai Police Control Room SI Puzham Perumal, Secretariat Colony Constable Ponraj and Deepak from the Home Guard - were suspended.
The case was transferred to the CB-CID.
