Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 1 Jun: The Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) district administration under DC Talo Potom – in blatant misuse of the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (APUAPA) – detained a minor girl under the Act, in connection with the 72-hour capital bandh that had been enforced from 10 to 12 May.
The Yupia-based Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) has strongly noted that the minor had been illegally detained for 16 days and had not been produced before the JJB within 24 hours.
The victim is from East Kameng district. It is reported that the girl was sent illegally to the observation home in Pasighat (East Siang) without producing her before the board.
Upon discovering that the minor girl was illegally detained in the Jully district jail from 10 to 19 May, the JJB directed the Chimpu PS OC to transfer the minor girl to the JJ Home.
The board further observed that, “under the APUAP Act u/s 15 (I), (II) and (III) of the executive magistrate can exercise his power to release any detainee on bond with or without surety.”
“In this particular case, the executive magistrate was duty-bound to release the juvenile by admonishing or by entering into a bond, with or without surety, especially the juvenile being a child of 15 years and 9 months,” the JJB observed.
“The JJ Act speaks of child in conflict with law in connection to petty, serious and heinous offences, for which a proper complaint/HR has to be registered and processed as per law and the juvenile is to be produced before the JJ Board within 24 hours from the time of detention,” it ruled.
“It does not speak of detaining any juvenile without showing cause, but the minor in question was never produced before the JJ Board, Yupia, whereas it has been seen that the child was sent to observation home, Pasighat, after being detained at the district jail, Jully, for 6 days, making her illegal detention to 16 days,” the JJB stated.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) member and advocate Ebo Mili has strongly condemned the authorities for misusing their power.
In a press statement, Mili expressed dismay over the rampant arrest of people in connection with the 72-hour bandh.
“It is disheartening to learn that the authorities misused the APUAPA, leading to the rampant arrest of innocent people, including a minor. These incidents highlight the incompetence of the authorities, as proper investigations were not conducted and innocent individuals were unjustly detained.”
The HRLN further stated that the public deserve accountability in such matters.
“Those who have been illegally detained should be compensated for the suffering they have endured due to the incompetence of the authorities,” he said.
“It is our hope that this incident will lead to a thorough review of the existing protocols and training methods to ensure that such lapses do not occur in the future,” he added.
