HC seeks report on police torture

HYDERABAD: A division bench of the High Court comprising justice L.

Narasimha Reddy and justice KG Shankar directed the 15th metropolitan magistrate (Medchal) and juvenile magistrate (LB Nagar) on Friday to submit a report by January 20 on whether the Pet Basheerabad police subjected three detainees to torture.

The bench also directed the Cyberabad police commissioner to transfer both the police officers i.e. station house officer and sub-inspector of police concerned from Pet Basheerabad to some other police station in the commissionerate till completion of the inquiry.

Dealing with a habeas corpus petition filed by P Sumathi, wife of P Ramesh, an accused in a theft case, the bench had on Thursday directed the SHO and SI to appear before the court in connection with a case of alleged detention and torture of three youths related to Ramesh. The petitioner alleged that the police had detained her son and two nephews, and tortured them in connection with the theft case.

Complying with the order, the police officers appeared in the court on Friday and claimed that they had arrested P Kranthi (20), R Praveen (25) and P Mahesh (17) at a lodge near Sanatnagar on Thursday for helping the accused and produced them before the magistrate.

The bench then asked the magistrate concerned to enquire and submit a report to the court by January 20, stating whether the detainees had been subjected to torture and their bodies bore any injuries (internal or external).

A case was registered against Ramesh, a driver, for stealing Rs 5 lakh and an Innova car on December 25.