GUWAHATI: A Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court has issued strict directives to Assam Police regarding the custody, safety and treatment of Ghanakanta Gogoi, the accused in the Guwahati hotel shooting case.
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The court has cautioned that the concerned Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) would be held responsible if Gogoi escapes from police custody.
According to reports, the court has directed that only officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or above may accompany the accused during interrogation or visits to recover evidence.
The court has also ordered the police to ensure adequate security arrangements if the accused is taken out for evidence recovery after sunset or before sunrise.
Emphasising the need to protect the accused's rights, the court has strictly prohibited custodial torture and directed the police to provide him with clean food, drinking water and other basic necessities.
Further, the court has ordered a medical examination of Gogoi every 24 hours during his time in police custody to monitor his health.
The investigating officer has also been instructed to strictly follow the Supreme Court's guidelines laid down in the landmark D.K. Basu vs State of West Bengal case, which established safeguards against custodial abuse and prescribed procedures for arrest and detention.
