Kasganj custodial death: Court warns UP Police to file reply to plea seeking CBI probe by Thursday
Last year, a Muslim man was found dead inside the Kasganj police station after he was taken for questioning in a case related to the abduction of a Hindu woman.
The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday issued a warning to Uttar Pradesh Police to file an affidavit in connection to a plea seeking an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation and Rs 1 crore compensation in the Kasganj custodial death case, Live Law reported.
In November, a 22-year-old Muslim man was found dead inside the Kasganj police station after he was taken for questioning in a case related to kidnapping of a Hindu woman.
Altaf was booked under Sections 363 (kidnapping) and 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage) of the Indian Penal Code.
The police had claimed that Altaf had hanged himself from a tap in the washroom just two feet above the ground using the drawstring of his jacket hood. However, his family had alleged that he was murdered in custody.
During Wednesday’s hearing, a bench comprising Justices Anjani Kumar Mishra and Deepak Verma told Kasganj Superintendent of Police Botre Rohan Pramod that the High Court would impose “heavy cost” if the affidavit was not filed by Thursday, reported Live Law.
The judges questioned the police on why the affidavit was not filed despite the court being told it was ready on the last date of hearing.
“In case SP’s affidavit is not filed by tomorrow, we will necessarily impose heavy cost as this matter relates to the custodial death,” the court said, according to Live Law.
The plea was filed by Altaf’s father Chand Miyan. On December 23, the court had directed police to file a response within ten days.
In November, police had dropped kidnapping charges against Altaf after the girl he was accused of abducting was found. Police had said she was not a minor as claimed by the woman’s father in his complaint.
The woman, who is reportedly 19, had recorded her statement before a magistrate saying Altaf had promised to marry her and had asked her to go to Agra.