Actor claims he was beaten up with leather strap in Ghaziabad jail

GHAZIABAD: A 28-year-old TV actor on Saturday accused Ghaziabad police of subjecting him and his younger brother to “third-degree” torture and treating them as “criminals” on May 12 after he was detained at Indirapuram police station following a brawl at a shopping mall the night before.
Ansh Arora, who has worked in several TV serials, including Ekta Kapoor’s Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki, said he had visited a store in Shoprix Mall on the intervening night of May 11 and 12 and ordered a hotdog. The staff apparently asked him to wait over an hour, which led to an argument between the actor and them.
“I asked them to cancel the order. Instead, they started behaving rudely with me. I retorted and broke a few products, including computer sets, at the shop in anger,” said Ansh, a resident of Vaishali.
According to the actor, he visited the store again the next evening along with his brother to apologise for his behaviour the previous night. The shop staff apparently called the police and a team brought Ansh and his brother to Indirapuram police station.
Ansh and his brother were put behind bars, allegedly beaten up with a leather strap and even threatened with electric shocks. The next day, he was produced before a magistrate after being challaned under Section 151 of the CrPC and granted bail. The actor said he had to be admitted at Max Hospital after he complained of uneasiness.
Shlok Kumar, SP (city), said he would probe the allegations levelled by Ansh. He said CCTV footage sourced from the shop showed Ansh damaging computer sets at the counter.
“No one is above the law, whether he is an actor or anybody else. I will personally look into the case. If a police officer is found guilty, strict action will be taken against him. I am checking footage from all CCTV cameras installed at the police station,” Kumar added.
Ansh has written to the Prime Minister, Uttar Pradesh chief minister, the human rights commission and Ghaziabad SSP on the alleged police torture.
He said he had come to his hometown from Mumbai on April 28 to spend some time with his family. Ansh is popular for his role as Vishal in the web series Tanhaiyan and in several short films.
The letter sent to the human rights commission by Ansh states: “Around 10-10.30 in the morning, two persons who were in civil dress but appeared to be policemen of the police station came outside the lock up, opened it and took my brother (Mridul) to a room which was situated at the backside of the police station. There my brother was again subjected to brutal beating and he was repeatedly hit multiple times with the full swing of a double sized leather bat. From my cell I could overhear my brother screaming for mercy while he was being beaten. When my brother was brought back to the cell he was even unable to walk and was howling and screaming in pain.”