Two female police officers beat me during interrogation in Vakola police station , claims woman

Photographs of injuries allegedly sustained at the police station that the woman has included in her petition filed in the high court

A 25-year-old woman has accused Vakola police of assaulting her at the police station. When contacted, the Vakola police denied the allegations, stating that while she had been called for interrogation, she was not assaulted.

According to the police, a case had been registered against the woman under Section 78 (stalking) and Section 79 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of the BNS, along with relevant sections of the IT Act.

An officer told mid-day, "We had received a complaint stating that the 25-year-old woman had posted an objectionable photo on her social media. We are investigating the matter."

The complainant said she was confined for hours, and not allowed to use the washroom. Representation pic

However, the woman told mid-day she was unaware of the case. "I don't know anything about the case. I got a call from officers claiming to be from the crime branch, but they took me to Vakola police station, where I was beaten with a belt," she said.

The woman has since approached the Bombay High Court and filed a writ petition.

The incident reportedly occurred on November 22, when she was allegedly taken to Vakola police station and assaulted. She told mid-day, "On November 16, I received a call from the police informing me of a case registered against me on November 4. I told them I was out of the city and would come to the station on November 22. When I arrived, I was beaten by two female officers with a belt."

The police have denied the allegations. "A case was registered against her on November 4, and she was called for interrogation. We deny any instances of physical violence. The matter is still under investigation," a senior official told mid-day.

The woman further alleged that someone from the Crime Branch called her to the Andheri branch but then took her to Vakola police station. "I was confined for hours, not allowed to use the washroom, and beaten with a belt by two officers, one of whom was in plain clothes. They also threatened me with third-degree torture," she said.

After her release, the woman approached her lawyer. Advocate Pankaj Mishra told mid-day, "If she committed such a serious offence, why was she let go? The police didn't follow due process, haven't provided access to CCTV footage, and brutally assaulted her. We have approached the Bombay High Court for strict action against the two female officers, access to the CCTV footage, and compensation for the violation of her human rights."

A division bench is expected to hear the writ petition on December 6.