During the hearing of the case of assault on National Youth Awardee Rohit Kumar at Hallomajra police post in Chandigarh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has shown strictness on Chandigarh Police.
The court directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Chandigarh to investigate whether CCTV cameras have been installed in all the police stations and posts of Chandigarh as per the orders of the Supreme Court and whether they are fully functional.
The court sought a report in 8 weeks
The court ordered the CJM to submit this report within 8 weeks of receiving a copy of the order in the High Court. Now the next hearing of this case will be on 5 August 2025.
This order came during the hearing of the petition filed after the alleged assault by ASI Seva Singh, ASI Ranjeet and Constable Deepak. These three policemen were suspended by SSP Kanwardeep Kaur on March 28 and a departmental inquiry has been started against them from May 16. The court has said that the report of the entire action should be presented before the court till the next hearing.
Supreme Court’s instructions should be followed
The High Court said that the Supreme Court had given clear instructions in 2021 that every police station and post in the country should have CCTV cameras, which should not only record video but also audio and their recordings should be kept safe for at least one year. The court ordered that the CJM should also investigate whether the Chandigarh Police is following these orders.
CCTV footage can reveal the truth
The petitioner’s lawyer Harmanjot Singh Gill demanded in the court that the CCTV footage of Hallomajra police post be included in the investigation. Because this footage can bring out the truth of the incident. He also said that the Chandigarh Police itself is investigating the matter, which cannot be considered impartial.
Had gone to the police post to help the girls
Rohit alleged in his complaint that on March 15, he had reached Hallomajra post with his friend Gobind to help two girls. Both these girls had come to lodge a complaint accusing their father of physical abuse. When the policemen present at the police post heard the girls, instead of behaving sensitively with them, they started slapping them. When Rohit and Gobind protested and asked the police to treat them humanely, the policemen got furious and started beating both the youths badly.
Rohit said that the policemen made him lie down on the ground and beat him with sticks so much that he fainted. His thumb got fractured, his face and head got swollen and he is suffering from unbearable pain in his spine. Rohit is also seen lying on the ground in an injured state in the video footage. It is alleged that the policemen were in a drunken state and they also beat up the girls’ mother and brother.
