The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the state government to respond to a petition challenging the denial of sanction to prosecute two police officers in connection with a custodial death case. The case dates back to 2017, when a man allegedly died in police custody in Ludhiana.
Case Background
The petitioner, the brother of the deceased, filed a complaint alleging that his brother was brutally beaten by the police during interrogation, leading to his death. The post-mortem report reportedly confirmed multiple injuries. However, the state government declined to grant prosecution sanction against the two accused officers, citing insufficient evidence.
Court's Intervention
Justice Arun Monga of the High Court issued a notice to the state's Home Department and the Director General of Police, seeking their replies within four weeks. The court observed that the denial of sanction without proper reasoning could amount to a cover-up. The matter has been listed for further hearing in May.
The petitioner's counsel argued that the state's decision was arbitrary and violated the rights of the deceased. He emphasized that custodial deaths are serious offenses and require thorough investigation. The court may consider summoning the original records if the response is unsatisfactory.
