HC judge flags custody deaths in N Bengal, seeks list of ‘efficient’ officers
Times of India | 25 February 2025
Kolkata: Calcutta High Court judge Justice Tirthankar Ghosh on Monday flagged incidents of custody deaths in north Bengal and expressed the need to have a list of "efficient" officers who could be entrusted with such probes.
The issue cropped up during the hearing of a case of custodial death at Baruipur Correctional Home in 2023. A special investigation team (SIT), formed by a single bench of Justice Ghosh last Oct, submitted its status report on Monday.
The SIT — comprising Pranav Kumar, IGP, SVSPA, Barrackpore, Rahul Goswami, SP of Diamond Harbour Police District, and Bireswar Chatterjee, AC, DD, Kolkata — was directed to register a case under IPC section 302.
Satisfied by the progress in this case by SIT, Justice Ghosh said there was a need to have a list of officers from north Bengal to deal with custodial deaths there. "I am finding 5-6 cases in north Bengal districts like Malda and North Dinajpur, among others. Some officers do not know how to investigate. Will IG (law and order) be able to apprise the court with a list of efficient officers?" the judge said.
In the present case, one Gafour Molla died on Sept 2, 2023 after being sent to judicial custody at Baruipur Correctional Home. He was arrested in an excise case. Molla's son moved HC, alleging that his father was illegally detained, tortured and denied the right to inform his family of his arrest.
Meanwhile, an additional month was given to SIT as the CFSL report and handwriting expert's opinion were awaited.