Delhi court seeks FIR against police after noticing bruises on accused

New Delhi: A Delhi court has instructed the station house officer (SHO) of IGI Airport Police Station to file an FIR against Inspector Sumit Kumar over allegations of custodial torture involving an accused in a passport forgery case. Nishit Kumar Rajendrabhai Patel, who was presented before the court on April 5 following his recent arrest, claimed that he had been physically tortured in police custody. During a private examination, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Pranav Joshi observed bruises on Patel's arms and feet. In his order dated April 8, ACJM Joshi stated that the initial allegations of torture appeared to be substantiated. The court denied the Delhi Police's request for a 10-day remand, opting not to send Patel into their custody.

“The injuries found on the body of the accused directly hint at custodial violence being committed upon the accused. Custodial violence is not something which is tolerated within the framework of the Indian legal system. It has been the consistent view of the Indian constitutional Courts that physical abuse and violence strikes at the very foundation of the democratic set-up where the liberty of an individual is considered sacrosanct,” ACJM Joshi said in his order, as reported by Indian Express.