DGP told to produce detainee on June 13

Tribune News Service

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, June 10

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday directed the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) to not only probe the matter, but also produce detainee 16-year-old Arshdeep Singh of Varyam Nangal village, who went missing from the custody of the Kathunangal police three days ago, in the court on June 13.

Minor's disappearance from police custody case

The high court also directed the police to preserve the CCTV camera footage of the police station from June 4 to 7 and produce it before the duty magistrate. The court also directed Amritsar Rural Police SSP Satinder Singh to comply with the order.

The high court issued the order following a reply filed by the Amritsar Rural Police on its notice after Arshdeep’s family approached it (the high court) on Thursday seeking its intervention. The victim went missing from the Kathunangal police station on June 7. The court issued a notice to the Principal Secretary, Department of Justice and Home Affairs, the DGP, the SSP and the DSP to file a reply on Friday by way of an affidavit by gazetted officer not below the rank of an SP. The police filed a reply on the basis of a probe by the Majitha DSP.

The petitioner, Dhiean Singh (victim’s father), in his complaint stated that ASI Pargat Singh along with constable Mandeep Singh and an unidentified cop picked up Arshdeep from the house on Sunday morning alleging that they had received a complaint against him.

Dhiean Singh alleged his son was brutally thrashed and tortured by the police in front of him and his wife Manjeet Kaur. He said SHO Harchand Singh asked them to leave while adding that they would release him following investigations. He said when they went to the police station next day, their son was unable to walk or speak due to torture. He said the SHO asked them to come next day.

He said on Tuesday a cop called them and his son spoke to them. Arshdeep told that he was badly beaten up by the cops, including the SHO. On Wednesday, ASI Pargat Singh informed that the boy was not traceable.

In the reply filed on the basis of a preliminary probe by the Majitha DSP, the police pointed out that the boy was picked up for investigations in a theft case lodged by Satnam Singh of the same village. They suspected that Arshdeep had committed the crime though the police found no clue about his involvement. The police claimed that he was never tortured and was handed over to the respectable of the village after every questioning. The police also pointed out the criminal record of his father Dhiean Singh and his brother Rohit Singh, alias Rahul, in the report.

Preserve the CCTV footage: Court

The high court also directed the police to preserve the CCTV camera footage of the police station from June 4 to 7 and produce it before the duty magistrate. The court also directed Amritsar Rural Police SSP Satinder Singh to comply with the order.

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