Supreme Court stays Haryana STF probe against Delhi lawyer in murder case

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Haryana Police Special Task Force (STF) probe against Delhi lawyer Vikram Singh in a murder case.

A Bench led by CJI BR Gavai also confirmed an interim bail granted by it on November 12 to the lawyer in the case.

The order came after senior counsel Vikas Singh – who sought transfer of the probe to the CBI -- said that the probe with regard to advocate Vikram Singh should not proceed.

"I am not asking for discharge (of Vikram Singh) today, let the status report be called from the CBI, after that, if the Bench thinks it fit for discharge … the way the prosecution is behaving in this case is atrocious!" the senior lawyer submitted.

The Bench, however, did not stay the entire investigation in the case and said the plea for handing over the probe to the CBI will be taken up later.

The Supreme Court had on Wednesday asked the Haryana Government to spell out why the murder case -- in which advocate Vikram Singh was arrested by the Haryana Police STF, Gurugram -- should not be handed over to the CBI after his counsel 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 had told the Bench.

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 had requested the Bench to transfer the probe to the CBI in view of the seriousness of allegations.

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

Sinhal had said the murder case was being handled by the 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 had 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 had 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.

Vikram Singh, an advocate enrolled with the 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 Faridabad Jail before being released on bail granted by the top court.