CHANDIGARH: Taking suo motu cognizance of the alleged custodial harassment of 23-year-old labour activist Nodeep Kaur by Haryana police, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday issued notice to the Haryana government, seeking its reply on the issue by February 24.
While taking cognizance of the matter, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi of the HC observed, "Complaints dated February 6 and February 8 have been received through e-mail regarding illegal confinement of Nodeep Kaur, a dalit labour activist, by the Haryana police, and under the orders of Justice Jaswant Singh have been treated as criminal writ petition and ordered to be listed on judicial side."
Nodeep’s release from ‘illegal confinement’ sought
In the e-mails received by the HC, a prayer has been made to release Nodeep from the “illegal confinement of Haryana police” and to hold a judicial inquiry into her "harassment".
The registry of the HC has been directed to hand over the copy of the petition to the state government counsel.
One of the e-mails received by HC on February 6 regarding her release says," Does law says to rape/ assault/ beat the person? ... What if this was done to your girl? Would you accept it? (sic)."
The mail received by the HC also mentioned that “this case is not anymore with regard to farmers’ protest but it’s for the respect of a woman who is being tortured in jail cell... (sic)."
A poster bearing a photograph of Nodeep Kaur and information regarding her arrest was also attached with thee-mail.
Currently lodged in Sonepat jail, Nodeep was reportedly arrested on January 12 by Haryana cops when she was protesting against the new central agriculture laws at Singhu border. Her family members and colleagues are on record alleging that "she was subjected to custodial harassment and sexual violence at the hands of police".
Kaur, a native of Punjab’s Muktsar Sahib, was arrested on the basis of a FIR registered under Sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 452 (trespassing), 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by an employee of a Kundlibased private company.