Submit ‘custodial torture’ case report by Dec 17: Haryana rights panel to DGP, Health DG

Taking cognisance of a case involving alleged custodial torture, the Haryana Human Rights Commission has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) and the Director General of Health Services to submit detailed inquiry reports by December 17, 2025. These directions were issued by Commission member Deep Bhatia.

As per the records presented before the commission, an FIR was registered on March 11, 2023, under Section 379 of the IPC and Section 136 of the Electricity Act at the Nissing police station. The case was investigated by Sub-Inspector Krishan Chand. Appearing before the commission, the complainant, Lovedeep, was arrested on April 14, 2023, and his medical examination was conducted the same day. However, the medical documents presented were not clearly legible, and it appeared that no fresh injuries were mentioned in that report.

Before the commission, it was revealed that in the medical examination report (MLR) dated April 15, 2023, injuries were described and stated to be approximately four to seven days old. The investigating officer was unable to explain the contradiction as to why no injuries were mentioned in the report dated April 14, 2023, but were recorded in the report of April 15, 2023.

At this stage, Sub-Inspector Krishan Chand (CIA-II, Karnal) and Inspector Dinesh Kumar (Office of the Director General of Investigation, Commission) informed the commission that, as a common practice, doctors usually mention only those injuries that the accused himself complains about during medical examination at the time of arrest, and a full-body examination is not conducted.

Expressing serious concern over this issue, commission member Bhatia observed that the matter was extremely sensitive and directly related to custodial torture.

Commission Information & Public Relations Officer Puneet Arora said Bhatia, in his order, had directed the DGP to depute a senior police officer to conduct a detailed inquiry into the alleged custodial torture and also to examine the modus operandi mentioned by the police officers who appeared before the commission. DG Health Services, Haryana, has been directed to submit a detailed report regarding both medical examinations conducted on April 14 and 15, 2023, by December 17, 2025.

He also instructed that, in future, every person taken into police custody must undergo a comprehensive full-body medical examination, and it should not be a superficial formality. Necessary directions are to be issued to all field doctors to this effect.

The Haryana Human Rights Commission has emphasised that protection of human rights in police custody is of utmost priority. Any negligence in such matters not only violates the fundamental rights of citizens but also undermines the credibility of the justice system.