CHANDIGARH: Mr Surinder Singh (24) of Mangat village in Ludhiana district who was found in illegal detention at Basti Jodhewal police post in Ludhiana by a warrant officer appointed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court has been admitted to the Sector 16 General Hospital here.
According to Mr J.P. Singh, counsel for Mr Surinder Singh, Mr Justice G.S.Chahal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the medical examination of the petitioner after the warrant officer recovered him from illegal police detention and escorted him to Chandigarh on December 22.
According to a habeas corpus petition filed by Mr Avtar Singh, father Mr Surinder Singh, his son was taken in illegal custody by the police and was continuously tortured in the Basti Jodhewal police post since then. The medical examination revealed that there were 15 injuries on the body of Mr Surinder Singh. Some of the injuries as old as 15 days or little more had healed.
On December 21 the court appointed Mr R.L.Bhatia as warrant officer. Mr Surinder Singh was found in the police post. There was no case against him, Further no entry was made in the Roznamcha. He was immediately released.
In another petition filed in the court after his release, Mr Surinder Singh alleged that as he was being brought to Chandigarh, policemen chased him with a probable intention to taking him away again. A Maruti van followed the bus in which he traveled. He reportedly requested the warrant officer to take him to the high court as he apprehended danger to his life from the policemen, whom he spotted at the Chandigarh bus stand also.
Mr Justice G.S. Chahai heard the petition and ordered for provision of security and medical examination of the petitioner. The respondents in the case Station House Officer of police station sadar at Ludhiana and the ASI of the Jodhewal police post have been asked to appear in the court on January 7.
The Akali Dal (Mann) chief, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, visited the petitioner in the hospital. Mr N.S.Minhas, Press Secretary of the local unit of the Dal (Mann) said Mr S.S.Mann would take up the case of Mr Surinder Singh with the Governor to prove the charge that the police was still continuing to torture innocent youth in illegal custody.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 4, 1991
