POCSO Accused in Handcuffs Appears at Voter List Hearing in Bengal
Undertrial POCSO accused brought in handcuffs to SIR hearing in Bengal's Deganga for name spelling correction.
In an unusual sight at the Deganga BDO office in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, 26-year-old Shamim Hasan, an undertrial in a POCSO case, appeared in handcuffs for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing on Wednesday. Hasan, who has been lodged in the Basirhat sub-correctional home for nearly four months, had disappeared from his village months ago, leaving neighbours and family unaware of his detention.
Shamim’s sudden appearance at the hearing left his family and neighbours stunned. His mother, Dawati Bibi, revealed that she was unaware of his imprisonment until a hearing notice prompted inquiries, leading to the shocking revelation that her son had been in custody for months. The family insists that Shamim is innocent and claims he has been falsely implicated in the case.
Neighbours corroborated the family’s sentiments, with some stating that Shamim had told them he was framed. Many described him as a responsible young man who had been living outside the village for work before his arrest. The unexpected sight of him in handcuffs at the Deganga hearing centre was a complete shock to the local community.
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A senior Basirhat district police official, however, maintained that Shamim was lawfully arrested in connection with a sexual assault case involving a minor and confirmed his current custody at the sub-correctional facility. The official clarified that Hasan was only brought to the Deganga office for the SIR hearing.
Sources indicate that the hearing notice was issued due to a spelling error in Shamim’s name, and his mother appeared with the necessary documents on his behalf. Following the completion of the hearing process, Shamim was returned to the Basirhat sub-correctional home.
The incident highlights ongoing procedural and communication gaps in the handling of undertrial prisoners, raising questions about transparency and family awareness in sensitive cases under the POCSO Act.
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