Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 29

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Punjab Director-General of Police to probe the illegal detention of a woman and her child by a police officer. Dubbing as “depreciable” their unlawful confinement by the “person in uniform”, Justice Jaishree Thakur made it clear that the DGP would look into the matter at his “personal level” or to refer it to an appropriate authority, not below the rank of an Additional DGP.

Directions were also issued to Muktsar Senior Superintendent of Police to forthwith escort the detainee and her child to her matrimonial home. The direction came after the woman appeared before Justice Thakur’s Bench through videoconferencing from the SSP’s office in his presence.

In response to Justice Thakur’s query, the woman told the Bench that they were residing with respondent ASI-Bohar Singh. The woman added she was forcibly made to sit in the car along with the ASI on the threat of harming the child. She categorically stated that she would like to return to her matrimonial home and did not wish to reside with Bohar Singh, who had forcibly detained her.

In her order, Justice Thakur asserted it was “interesting” to note that ASI Bohar Singh chose not to put in an appearance before the court through videoconferencing even though notice was served on him. “The act does not bode well for him,” Justice Thakur added.

The matter was brought to the court’s notice after a habeas corpus petition was filed by the woman’s in-laws against the State of Punjab and other respondents for releasing the woman and their grandchild from the ASI’s illegal detention and to take legal action against him.

The Bench was told that Punjab Police personnel came to their house and took away their son on the ground of a complaint against him. Eventually, he was sent to the Faridkot Central Jail. The petitioners along with the daughter-in-law and grandson went to meet him where Bohar Singh was present. Subsequently, he came to their house at night. Next morning, the daughter-in-law and grandson were not around. On enquiry, the petitioner came to know that Bohar Singh had taken them and had implicated their son falsely.