Pinki alleges police atrocities on her in custody

Asian Games gold medallist Pinki Pramanik, who walked out of jail on Wednesday after spending 26 days in custody on charges of rape, alleged that the police tied her hands and legs and forcibly conducted the gender determination test on her.

The retired middle-distance runner, who was released from the Dum Dum Central Jail after a Barasat court gave her bail on Tuesday, said she kept crying and resisted the gender test but nobody listened to her.

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"They tied my hands and legs and took me to a private nursing home for the tests. I kept on crying and resisted but nobody listened to me," Pinki alleged.

Pramanik was arrested on June 14 after she was accused of being a male by her live-in partner, a 30-year-old estranged woman who also alleged that she was raped by Pramanik.

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Maintaining that she was being framed in the rape case, the 4x400m relay gold medallist at the Doha Asiad claimed, "She (the complainant) used to do my chores. She had demanded money from me long back, but I did not give, for which she took this path."

Pinki, who broke down while speaking to reporters, said she would speak to her lawyers on the steps she would take to get justice.

A PIL was moved in the Calcutta high court on July 6 alleging inhuman torture on the athlete. The court has directed the West Bengal government to file an affidavit within two weeks on the progress of the investigation.

The West Bengal Human Rights Commission has also stepped in and directed the Home, Health and Police departments to inquire into the allegations of 'torture' on the athlete in police and jail custody.

Pinki thanked sports persons who had held protests to highlight the treatment meted out to her by authorities.

"I thank all of them for doing so much for me. I read about their protests in the newspaper while in jail. I will now go to my flat," the athlete said and later went to the Baguiati police station to get its keys.

However, the keys of her Teghoria flat in Baguiati were missing as Pinki sought the help of police to enter the flat.

Her legal counsel Tuhin Roy said, "As per CrPC 181-184, breaking open into one's own flat is not trespassing according to the law. She might be scared of a legal wrangle once again, so she did not break it open."

Asked whether she can resume her work in Eastern Railway that had suspended her after she was taken into judicial custody, Roy said, "Unless somebody is proven guilty, you can legally work. It's up to them to decide."

The ER spokesperson said, "The Railways will take a call (on the suspension) after seeing the court's order."

Pinki was accompanied by her father Durgacharan Pramanik and fellow-. Asian Games gold medallist and former CPI-M MP Jyotirmoyee Sikdar.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Thursday wherein the karyotyping test report (chromosome pattern) will be submitted at the district court in North 24 Parganas, Roy said.

The district and sessions judge (North 24-Parganas) granted bail to Pinki on Tuesday on a personal bond of Rs 5,000.