Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 1 Sep: In compliance with the Supreme Court’s direction, the home department has constituted the State Police Complaints Authority (SPCA), with retired high court judge Dinendra Biswas as its chairperson and retired IAS officer Remo Kamki and retired APCS officer Somcha Lowang as its members.
The Supreme Court issued the direction to constitute the SPCA and District Police Complaints Authorities (DPCA) “with five members, headed by a retired high court judge, a retired administrator, and members from women section and the joint secretary, deputy secretary and undersecretary of the home department as member secretary in the state, and a member (from among retired senior police officers) appointed by the home department.”
The DPCAs have been bifurcated into three zones: eastern, central and western. The eastern zone DPCA will cover Namsai, Lohit, Changlang, Tirap, Longding, Anjaw, East Siang, Siang, Upper Siang, Lower Dibang Valley and Dibang Valley districts, with retired additional district & sessions judge Oying Apum as its chairperson, and retired APCS officer Hengo Basar, retired APPS officer Dilip Yossung, and social activist Tojam Mossang as its members.
The central zone DPCA will cover West Siang, Leparada, Upper Subansiri, Shi-Yomi and Lower Siang districts, with retired sessions judge Goto Ete as its chairperson, and retired APCS officer Moki Loyi, retired APPS officer Mito Riba, and social activist Gebom Ete Padu as its members.
The western zone DPCA will cover Papum Pare, Lower Subansiri, Kamle, Kra Daadi, Kurung Kumey, Tawang, West Kameng, East Kameng and Pakke-Kessang districts, with retired sessions judge Tumken Bagra as its chairperson and retired APCS officer Higio Tala, retired APPS officer Jambey Netan, and social activist and advocate Kani Nada Maling as its members.
The SPCA and the DPCAs will look into complaints against officers of the rank of superintendent of police and above. They will take cognisance of only allegations of serious misconduct by police officers/personnel, including incidents involving death in police custody, being grievously hurt in police custody, or rape or attempt to rape in police custody.
They will inquire into the aforementioned allegations either suo moto or based on complaint(s) received from a victim, or any person on the victim’s behalf, or any other person in a sworn affidavit.
The authorities will not entertain anonymous and pseudonymous complaints.
The SPCA may summon any person and examine them on oath. After completion of the inquiry, the authorities will apprise the chief secretary of their findings and recommendations for any departmental or criminal action against a delinquent police officer.
The authorities are required to submit their recommendations within 90 days from the date of receipt of the complaint(s).
