HC seeks Rajasthan Police’s report on arrest of two Delhi minors

The mother claimed that on September 26, around 5pm, the two were unlawfully and forcibly taken away by unidentified individuals in civilian clothes

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Rajasthan police to file a status report indicating the reasons for arresting two minors from Delhi without informing the Delhi Police.

In its status report filed on Tuesday, Delhi Police said it received a call from an unidentified number claiming that the two had been arrested by Rajasthan Police from Delhi on Monday. (Representational image)

A bench of justices Jyoti Singh and Anish Dayal issued the direction while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by one of the minors’ mother seeking production of her 15-year-old son with and also her relative’s son aged 17 years.

She claimed that on September 26, around 5pm, the two were unlawfully and forcibly taken away by unidentified individuals in civilian clothes. She further stated that she and her relatives waited in the park throughout the night, but the boys never returned.

She said though her relatives went to Janakpuri police station around 9pm on September 26, they were asked to contact the Hari Nagar police station, which too did not have any clue about the boys’ whereabouts.

The woman, represented by advocate Archit Krishna, told the court that the two detainees were relatives of 24-year-old Deva Pardhi, a tribal man who died in Madhya Pradesh police custody last year following alleged brutality. She alleged that they were illegally detained in retaliation to the Supreme Court’s September 26 order reprimanding the Madhya Pradesh government and the CBI for delays in arresting those accused in Pardhi’s custodial death.

In its status report filed on Tuesday, Delhi Police said it received a call from an unidentified number claiming that the two had been arrested by Rajasthan Police from Delhi on Monday, in connection with an FIR registered on August 12 at Pushkar police station under charges of theft and trespass. Standing counsel Sanjay Lao added that the arrests were made without informing the Delhi Police.

Inspector P S Vikram Singh Rathore of Pushkar police station confirmed that the arrests had been carried out without notifying Delhi Police. He said the two were held in connection with an alleged robbery case and would be produced before the link magistrate later in the day.

Taking note of the submissions, the court observed, “Heard Mr Rathore, as also Mr Lao and SHO, PS Hari Nagar, we are of the view that a detailed status report needs to be filed by Standing Counsel, State of Rajasthan. Looking at the backdrop of the matter as also the sensitivity involved, considering that S and the Petitioner are relatives of Deva Pardhi, it is directed that the status report will be filed under the signatures of Ms Vandita Rana, SP, Ajmer, Rajasthan.”

The matter is scheduled to be heard again on October 1.