Policemen torture man in custody, SC shocked

The Supreme Court on Monday was taken aback after learning that three policemen had chopped off a man's penis while he was in their custody in Barmer police station in 1994.

The Supreme Court on Monday was taken aback after learning that three policemen had chopped off a man's penis while he was in their custody in Barmer police station in 1994.

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Taking a serious view of the incident, a bench of Justice Markandeya Katju and T.S. Thakur said it "crossed all the limits."

CBI has challenged Rajasthan HC's verdict acquitting two of the accused while reducing the sentence imposed on the third from life to four years.

The bench sought an answer from the advocate on why shouldn't the accused be sent to jail for life. "How can you chop off the penis?" the bench asked while rejecting the defence counsel's plea that there was no evidence to prove the alleged act.

According to CBI the policemen took the victim, an employee with a businessman, to the police station and subjected him to torture.

It was alleged that the act was committed after the victim's employer Bhairav Singh said the victim had developed illicit relationship with his wife and daughter.

The victim during the trial admitted to this accusation.

The trial court had awarded life imprisonment to the policemen. However, the High Court acquitted two of them on the ground of no evidence. It had reduced the sentence of one.

SC notice to state govt

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Maharashtra government on a petition filed by Pragya Singh Thakur, prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, after she alleged that the police had kept her in illegal custody for 13 days before formally arresting her.

Arguing before a bench advocate Mahesh Jethmalani claimed on behalf of Pragya that she was not even permitted to have access to a lawyer in police custody from October 24, 2008 till November 3, 2008.

According to Jethmalani Pragya was being maligned as her name crops up whenever there is talk of "saffron terrorism."

CBI petition on Bhopal

The Supreme Court will examine CBI's curative petition seeking to restore the charges of culpable homicide against the accused in the Bhopal gas leak case on Tuesday.

The agency has sought reconsideration of the September 13, 1996 SC judgement which had whittled down the charge to causing death due to rash and negligent act against former Union Carbide India Chairman Keshub Mahindra and six others.