Former Delhi policeman convicted for custodial torture

Twenty three years after a man was tortured to death in police custody, the culprit was today brought to justice when the Delhi High Court sentenced a former Delhi Police sub inspector to 10 years rigorous imprisonment.

Twenty three years after a man was tortured to death in police custody, the culprit was today brought to justice when the Delhi High Court sentenced a former Delhi Police sub inspector to 10 years rigorous imprisonment.

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Rejecting the plea for a lenient view of former SI Rarnbir Singh, 63, who is suffering from Parkinson's disease, a Division Bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul reversed the trial court order acquitting him after giving the benefit of doubts.

"Though old-age and physical condition of the accused is a mitigating factor, yet we cannot lose sight of the fact that he was a police officer and it was his duty to ensure security and safety... " said the Bench.

Slapping him with a fine of Rs 55,000, the Bench directed that out of this Rs 50,000 be given to the victim's family.

"He was in violation of law and resorted to illegal means of third degree in his endeavour to extract confession, which in our view is a serious offence and needs to be tackled with a firm hand," the Bench said and rejected the prosecution's argument that victim Dayal Singh died due sickness as he was suffering from TB.

On 19 September, 1986, the victim was picked up by the police in connection with a VCR theft case in New Fiends Colony.