I.J. NEWS SERVICE   
NEWARK, NJ – Rajnikant Parikh, a former resident of Edison, New Jersey, filed a lawsuit on July 2 in New Jersey federal court against the Township of Edison, several officers of the Edison Police Department (EPD), and officers of the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for violations of his civil rights stemming from a beating Parikh suffered at the hands of several EPD officers in 2006 and subsequent retaliatory immigration arrest for his complaints regarding the assault.  Parikh is represented by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) and the Law Offices of Ravinder S. Bhalla. 

On July 4, 2006, Parikh was brutally assaulted and arrested by Officer Michael Dotro and other officers of the EPD an AALDEF press release detailed. The officers repeatedly punched and kicked Parikh in front of his apartment building in Edison, and continued to do so even as he lay handcuffed on the ground. Upon his release from police custody, Parikh sought medical attention for the numerous physical injuries he suffered from the attack, including bruises and contusions to his back, face, and head, and severe back pain. The next day, Parikh filed a formal complaint against Officer Dotro and the other EPD officers involved, which triggered an internal investigation by the EPD. 

In the weeks that followed, Parikh made public statements condemning the unlawful conduct of the EPD officers and called for the suspension of Officer Dotro. In addition, Parikh and other members of the Indian American community began planning and publicizing a peaceful rally to be held on August 2, 2006 to protest the actions of the EPD and Officer Dotro.  The Township of Edison has a population of approximately 105,000, 30% of whom are of Asian American descent. 

In retaliation for Parikh’s formal complaint and public statements, Officer Dotro communicated Parikh’s identity to his brother, Sam Dotro, an attorney at ICE. Together the Dotro brothers investigated Parikh and coordinated a plan to arrest him on immigration charges. At the rally in Edison on August 2, 2006, Parikh was arrested by ICE agents and, soon after, deported to India.   

Parikh said, “First, I was beaten at the hands of the Edison police for no reason.  When I complained and tried to speak out about what happened to me, they reported me to immigration in retaliation.  I am being punished for being outspoken about the unjust manner in which the police officers treated me.  My entire life has been turned upside down.”

Edison cannot stand behind the actions of these officers. If it does, the Township is saying to immigrants that they will face deportation if they choose to assert their constitutionally protected rights,” said AALDEF Staff Attorney Tushar J. Sheth.