Delhi lawyer’s arrest by Gurugram STF: ‘Why not hand over probe to CBI’, asks SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Haryana Government to spell out why the murder case, in which Delhi lawyer Vikram Singh was arrested by Gurugram STF, should not be handed over to CBI after senior counsel Vikas Singh, representing him, alleged custodial torture.

“He (Vikram Singh) was tied to a pole all night and made to sleep like that. WhatsApp messages were sent despite this court’s order restraining such communication... He was given third-degree torture. He was threatened that his hair would be cut, and it was cut immediately at the police station,” Vikas Singh told a bench led by CJI BR Gavai.

Accusing STF officials of pressuring the lawyer to “settle” a gang-war related dispute because he represented certain accused persons, the senior counsel wondered, “How can a lawyer settle matters between hardened gangsters?”

He requested the bench to confirm the interim bail granted to the lawyer on November 12 and transfer the probe to CBI in view of the seriousness of allegations. Despite the top court’s order for the advocate’s immediate release, he was freed only on November 13 at 8.30 pm, the senior counsel told the bench.

“So what is the issue? CBI will investigate it much better,” CJI said, posting the matter for hearing on Thursday even as Haryana senior Additional Advocate General Lokesh Sinhal opposed the demand for a CBI probe.

Sinhal said the murder case was being handled by STF and transferring the probe into the present grievances would amount to transferring the entire investigation.

Denying any wrongdoing on the part of the Haryana Police, Sinhal submitted that advocate Vikram Singh’s bail bond was furnished only the next day, and he was released immediately after that.

Accusing the petitioner of making “misleading statements”, Sinhal said the grounds of arrest had been duly supplied to him and that it was the advocate who had initiated WhatsApp communication with the investigating officer.

Singh, an advocate enrolled with Bar Council of Delhi since July 2019, was arrested on October 31 allegedly without written grounds of arrest or independent witnesses, in violation of Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution. He was lodged in the Faridabad jail.

A trial court at Faridabad on November 1 remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days by a mechanical and non-speaking order, devoid of any reasoning or material connecting him to alleged offences, the petition submitted.