Allahabad HC directs DGP to file affidavit on former soldier’s plea alleging atrocities by UP Police

Read Order: Resham Singh versus State of UP & two ors

Pankaj Bajpai

Allahabad, July 10, 2021: The Allahabad High Court has asked the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, to file a reply on a plea moved by a former Indian Army soldier alleging brutal torture by the state police. 

A Division Bench of Justice Surya Prakash Kesarwani and Justice Gautam Chowdhary said the allegations raised by the petitioner are very serious and the injury reports and FIR prima facie shows “a very sorry state of affairs and police atrocities”.

Reiterating that the matter is serious and hence calls for serious consideration, the High Court said such act by the police officers indicates breach of fundamental rights of the petitioner guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. 

The petitioner Sardar Resham Singh alleged that he was travelling along with his mother and two sisters from Pilibhit to Lakhim Pur Kheri to offer their last respects to his brother-in-law. While they were on their way, police officials stopped them and enquired about the purpose of their travel.

The plea alleged that the police started beating the petitioner and his family members, and that the police also abused and humiliated their religious beliefs and even removed the victim’s turban. 

The police officials used their clout to even influence the government hospital not to conduct the petitioner’s medical examination, the plea claimed. Only when the atrocities got viral on social media was the victim assured by police that justice would be done to him, but in vain, the petition said. 

It also claimed that the police is attempting that the investigation be conducted in a biased manner and that the entire probe was merely eyewash as prima-facie case was made out u/s 295A and 377 of IPC, which they were trying to botch up in order to save the erring police officials. 

The High Court, therefore, directed the DGP to file a personal affidavit and asked the Advocate General to assist the court in the matter.