Custodial torture : Allegations demand swift, impartial action

THE allegations emerging from Sohna in Gurugram are chilling enough to shake faith in the criminal justice system. According to the accused’s statement recorded by a judicial magistrate, police personnel allegedly forced him to draw one of four slips marked “Death”, “Fracture”, “Bullet Injury” and “Reward Money”, before deliberately fracturing his leg after he picked the “Fracture” slip. These allegations must be established through due process. But their sheer gravity demands an uncompromising investigation. The Haryana Human Rights Commission deserves credit for acting swiftly. By directing an independent inquiry by an officer not below the rank of inspector general, ordering preservation of CCTV footage, medical records and electronic evidence and reminding authorities that “police custody cannot become a licence for torture”, it has reaffirmed a constitutional principle: every accused person retains the right to dignity, bodily integrity and a fair investigation.