The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Chandigarh Chief Judicial Magistrate to hold an inquiry into the circumstances leading to the death of Naresh alias Rajan, the 31-year-old who allegedly died due to police torture at Balongi police post in Mohali on August 12, 2007.

The CJM has been asked to summon and examine all relevant witnesses, including the brother of the deceased. The Bench has directed all the police officers to cooperate, adding that the CJM is free to summon witnesses and ask for records, including police reports. The directions were passed in the wake of a petition filed by World Human Rights Protection Council through its chairman, Advocate Ranjan Lakhanpal.

The petitioner submitted that cases of custodial death are often reported from different parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

“We have experienced that the fact that whenever allegations of custodial deaths and torture are reported, the whole police force comes into action to save the erring police officers. Even if a case is registered against the officers, it is under minor offences and even if there is a trial, it often leads to acquittal,” the Bench held.