Jharkhand HC takes suo motu cognizance of custodial death of 16 year old boy [Read Order]

The High Court of Jharkhand on Wednesday took suo motu cognizance of custodial death of a 16 year old boy, Rupesh.

The Court took into account over 30 Postcards received by the Chief Justice of the Court, as well as a news item published in “The Hindustan Times” in its Ranchi Edition dated 9th July,
2016.

The Bench, comprising Chief Justice Virender Singh and Justice S. Chandrashekhar thereafter directed the Deputy Commissioner, Ranchi, to submit a detailed report to the Court on or before the next date of hearing, i.e. July 27.

The Deputy Commissioner has been directed to incorporate in the report, “all the steps taken by the administration to alleviate the suffering of the minor boy, who died due to the inhuman torture subjected by the police and further steps, if any, contemplated by the District Administration in this regard.” He has further been directed to report whether provisions of Section 60-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure have been adhered to. Section 60A stipulates that all arrests be made strictly in accordance with the Code.

The Court ordered the State to pay Rs. 1 lakh to the father of the deceased minor, without prejudice to any other rights or remedies of the family of the deceased in any other proceedings. The State has been directed to report compliance of such payment to the Court, on or before July 27.

While the Court took note of the fact that the Director General of Police has started imparting training to the Police Officials in this regard, it opined that “intensive training is required at the earliest so as to avoid such like incidence in future.”

As per the order, Rupesh was detained by undercover policemen, on the suspicion of keeping illegal arms, a charge denied by his relatives. His body was later brought to the hospital as an abandoned corpse, with the Police wanting to conduct an autopsy in a hurry, claiming that the identity of the deceased was not known.

However, following the arrival of the family and subsequent protests, officers in-charge of Rahe and Dasham Fall Police Stations were suspended and an inquiry was ordered to be conducted.

Read the order here.