CBI arrests 6 J-K policemen on Supreme Court order for cop’s custodial torture
The CBI on Wednesday arrested six Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police, in connection with the alleged custodial torture of a constable following orders from the Supreme Court last month.
The action comes nearly a month after the apex court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the 2023 incident involving the alleged illegal detention and custodial torture that led to the “complete castration” of constable Khursheed Ahmad Chohan.
Official sources said the arrested officials include DSP Aijaz Ahmad Naiko, Sub-Inspector Riyaz Ahmad, and four others.
A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta had on July 21 directed the CBI to register a case within seven days and form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by an officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police.
“The police officials found responsible for the custodial torture shall be arrested forthwith and not later than a period of one month from today. The investigation shall be completed within 90 days of the registration of the FIR,” the court had ordered.
Officials said that the arrests were made by a CBI Special Investigation Team.
A senior official said the accused were taken into custody after being called for questioning on Wednesday. “Further investigation is underway,” he added.
Last month, the Supreme Court had also directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to pay Rs 50 lakh as compensation to Chohan “in order to provide some solace to the victim and his family for the barbaric acts of custodial torture leading to complete castration.”
Chohan alleged that he was illegally detained and tortured after being summoned in connection with a narcotics inquiry in February 2023. His wife’s attempts to file an FIR for custodial torture were unsuccessful, while the police instead registered a case against him for an alleged suicide attempt. The high court refused to quash the FIR, prompting him to approach the top court.
The matter is now listed before the Supreme Court on November 17 for submission of a status report.
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