SP Among 6 Cops Booked For Torturing, Assaulting Advocate In Punjab's Muktsar

Six policemen have been charged with subjecting an advocate to torture and sexual assault. The police had arrested the advocate and his associate on September 14 for "obstructing police work".

An FIR was registered against SP Ramandeep Singh Bhullar along with 5 others.

Source : Representational Image/PTI

A case has been registered against six police officers, including a superintendent of police in the Muktsar district of Punjab for subjecting an advocate to custodial torture, abetment of unnatural sex, wrongful confinement, and causing a threat to his life. According to PTI, the FIR was registered against Muktsar SP Ramandeep Singh Bhullar, CIA (crime investigating agency) in-charge Inspector Raman Kumar Kamboj, constables Harbans Singh, Bhupinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh, and home guard Dara Singh, reported news agency PTI.

According to sources, the police had arrested the advocate and his associate on September 14 for "obstruction of police work". On September 15, the Muktsar court sent both of them to judicial custody. The next day, the accused, through his lawyer, applied in the court to get his medical done again, alleging that he was tortured in CIA custody and unnatural sexual crimes were committed against him.  His statement was recorded his statement in the court on September 21, after which a case was registered against these police officers and orders were given for investigation. 

According to PTI, in its September 22 order, the Muktsar Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) directed the police to register the case against the 6 cops. “The statement of the victim is treated as a complaint as per Section 2 (D) of the Criminal Procedure Code, in which prima facie cognizable offences of abetment of unnatural sex and causing injuries in wrongful confinement, causing threat to his life and liberty, shown," the court said in its order, according to PTI.

The order further said that there were sufficient grounds for proceeding against the accused police officials. The court has directed the SHO (station house office) PS (police station) Sadar Sr Muktsar Sahib to begin the investigation after registering a case against them.

Showing solidarity, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association also decided to abstain from work while demanding the arrest and dismissal of the accused police officers. The policemen have been booked under relevant sections, including 377 (unnatural offences -- whoever voluntarily has carnal inter­course against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, as per PTI.

(With inputs from Sachin Kumar)