A day after an FIR was registered against four police personnel for allegedly torturing a cab driver, commissioner of police Swapan Sharma on Saturday suspended all four officers and ordered a probe by deputy commissioner of police (Investigation) Harpal Singh. The FIR was lodged on Friday following a four-hour protest over the alleged custodial assault.
The accused police officials on Saturday claimed that several injuries sustained by the victim were self-inflicted, while others occurred when policemen attempted to prevent him from committing suicide inside the lock-up.
According to them, the cab driver, Ranjot Singh, allegedly attempted to hang himself using a blanket binder while in custody. Police said CCTV footage of the incident was available and would form part of the investigation.
The controversy erupted after Ranjot Singh alleged that he was brutally assaulted in police custody following a road accident near Old Session Court Chowk on January 26. According to the complaint, his car had collided with another vehicle, after which the occupants of the other vehicle called the police. The taxi driver later accused the police of torturing him at the police post.
On Friday, several organisations staged a protest at Bharat Nagar Chowk against the alleged custodial assault. The protesters blocked the busy junction for nearly four hours, triggering massive traffic congestion and disrupting vehicular movement in surrounding areas.
{{/usCountry}}On Friday, several organisations staged a protest at Bharat Nagar Chowk against the alleged custodial assault. The protesters blocked the busy junction for nearly four hours, triggering massive traffic congestion and disrupting vehicular movement in surrounding areas.
{{/usCountry}}Following the protest, police registered an FIR against four police personnel—two head constables,both named Lovepreet Singh and Deepak Sharma of the Punjab Home Guard, and Rohit—under Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 127(2) (wrongful confinement) and 351(3) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Division No. 8 police station.
A separate FIR was also registered against the occupants of the other car involved in the accident—Rajiv Gupta of Gandhi Nagar and Ajay Sharma of Bindraband Road—and their associates for allegedly assaulting the cab driver at the accident spot. They were booked under Sections 298 (insulting religious beliefs), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 126(2) (wrongful restraint) of the BNS.
A senior police officer said the cab driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when police reached the accident spot and was taken into custody. “While in the lock-up, he attempted to hang himself using a blanket binder, which was captured on CCTV. When policemen intervened to save him, a scuffle broke out, during which he sustained injuries, including on a finger. He was later taken to the civil hospital for medical examination. The medical report confirmed intoxication and did not attribute his injuries to beating,” the officer said.
Deputy commissioner of police (Investigation) Harpal Singh said two FIRs had been registered based on complaints received. He added that the aspect of the alleged suicide attempt would be examined during the course of the investigation. The DCP also cautioned against spreading misinformation about the incident on social media, warning that legal action could be taken against those circulating false narratives.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Saturday condemned the alleged police brutality against Ranjot Singh, terming the incident “shocking, inhuman and a direct assault on the rule of law”.
After meeting the victim, Khaira alleged that the case reflected increasing high-handedness by the Punjab Police under the Aam Aadmi Party government. He claimed incidents of custodial violence, illegal detention and alleged fake encounters were becoming frequent across the state.
“Punjab is being pushed towards a police state where basic human rights are trampled upon. The alleged torture of Ranjot Singh is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern under the Bhagwant Mann government,” Khaira said.
He further alleged that the police were being used as a political tool to suppress dissent and target opposition leaders and activists through false cases. Khaira demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the alleged torture, immediate suspension of the officers involved, a statement from the chief minister assuring zero tolerance towards custodial torture and safeguards to prevent misuse of police powers for political purposes.