HC notice to DGP over 4 custodial deaths in Chhatarpur in 2 months

Bhopal: Taking serious note of allegations of custodial deaths in Chhatarpur district, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued notices to the state govt and senior police officials, seeking their response in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed on the matter.A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Jain and Justice Ajay Kumar Nirankari issued notices to the state govt, the Director General of Police (DGP), Inspector General (IG) of Sagar Range, Superintendent of Police (SP) Chhatarpur, and the station house officers (SHOs) of Rajnagar, Chandla and Gaurihar police stations. The court also directed authorities to preserve CCTV footage of the police stations concerned.The PIL, filed by Khajuraho-based social worker Peeyush Dixit, alleged that four persons died while in police custody in Chhatarpur district over the past few months. The petitioner claimed that the deaths were the result of police torture and sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).The petition also sought registration of murder cases against police personnel allegedly involved, as well as preservation of CCTV footage from the concerned police stations and call records of the deceased.Appearing for the state govt, deputy advocate general Swapnil Ganguly informed the court that judicial inquiries had already been ordered into two of the deaths referred to in the petition.Counsel for the petitioner, KC Childiyal, argued that in their responses regarding all four cases, police authorities stated that the deceased had either died by hanging or by consuming poison. How a person detained in custody at a safe place like the police station could get hold of poison or an object to hang himself should itself be a matter of probe, he said.After hearing preliminary arguments from both sides, the bench directed the respondents to file their replies and ordered preservation of CCTV footage from the police stations where the alleged custodial deaths occurred.The matter has been listed for further hearing on July 14.