{"id":391409,"date":"2026-07-25T09:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T03:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?p=391409"},"modified":"2026-07-24T18:54:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T13:24:07","slug":"custodial-death-allegations-jharkhand-hc-directs-mandatory-judicial-inquiry-under-bnss-section-1962","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/07\/25\/custodial-death-allegations-jharkhand-hc-directs-mandatory-judicial-inquiry-under-bnss-section-1962\/","title":{"rendered":"Disputed Facts, Documentary Discrepancies: Jharkhand HC Orders Mandatory Judicial Inquiry Into Alleged Custodial Death"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Jharkhand High Court:<\/span> The Division Bench of Sujit Narayan Prasad and Anubha Rawat Choudhary, JJ. on recognising the gravity of the allegations on alleged custodial death and inconsistencies in the documentary evidence, concluded that a judicial inquiry under Section 196(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita was necessary to be conducted. The Court directed Principal District Judge, Palamu at Daltonganj, to commence a judicial inquiry within fifteen days and submit a report within three months from the date of commencement of such enquiry. The Court further emphasised on the statutory requirement of an independent judicial inquiry in cases of custodial death, it deferred consideration of the contempt petition until the completion of such inquiry.<\/p>\n

The safeguards laid down in the case of D.K. Basu<\/span> v. State of W.B<\/span>, (1997) 1 SCC 416<\/a> against police excesses and custodial violence, recognises that such violations strike at the very root of the rule of law and the guarantee of life and liberty under Article 21<\/a> of the Constitution<\/a>. The Court had mandated strict adherence to these guidelines upon the State machinery to ensure transparency, accountability, and humane treatment of persons in custody. The erring official, will be liable to departmental action and would expose himself to punishment for contempt of court.<\/p>\n

Background<\/p>\n

The case arose from a sequence of events beginning on 1 March 2025. According to the petitioners, Deceased was operating a nursing home known as Sayed Ana Nursing Home in a rented premise. They allege that during the evening several police personnel from Nawa Bazaar Police Station forcibly entered the premises, dragged Deceased away without following any legal procedure, and also detained the landlord when he objected. The petitioners upon getting the information, reached the police station. They found that the landlord was released, but Deceased remained in custody. They claim that when they attempted to meet him, they were threatened, abused, and driven away by police officials.<\/p>\n

The petitioners allege that while outside the police station both they and the landlord witnessed him being subjected to extreme torture inside the lock-up. he was stripped naked, suspended upside down, and mercilessly assaulted over his entire body. They further claim that the torture continued over several days. On 2 March 2025 officers from Chhatarpur Police Station also joined Nawa Bazaar Police Station and participated in the assault. The petitioners allege that despite repeated requests for his release they were insulted, assaulted, and prevented from meeting him. They alleged that the Superintendent of Police herself physically assaulted him, struck him with a wooden stick, crushed his private parts, and committed acts of extreme brutality including insertion of petrol into his private parts.<\/p>\n

The petition further alleges that after Deceased-accused’s condition deteriorated, he was shifted first to Medini Rai Medical College Hospital and thereafter referred to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi. At RIMS, according to the petitioners, Deceased narrated before the attending doctor, in the presence of Bariyatu Police Station officers and his own family members, the details of the torture inflicted upon him in police custody. The petitioners assert that despite this disclosure the Bariyatu police officer failed to record his dying declaration.<\/p>\n

The petitioners drew particular attention to the remand order dated 6 March 2025. According to them, the order recorded Deceased as “injured,” thereby acknowledging that he had sustained visible injuries before being remanded. They argued that Magistrate made no inquiry regarding the source of those injuries, nor were his constitutional rights explained to him. An additional handwritten endorsement marked “later on” in the remand order directed proper medical treatment for him. The petitioners questioned the remand order and why no explanation existed about his injuries despite the medical fitness certificate produced by the police.<\/p>\n

They also claimed that medical prescriptions obtained by them revealed severe injuries including kidney failure, fractures, neurological complications, and multiple traumatic injuries requiring consultations with orthopaedic, nephrology, and neurosurgery departments. According to the petitioners, consent for important procedures such as dialysis and ventilation was obtained from police officers rather than from family members, which further demonstrated police control over his treatment. Ultimately, Deceased died at RIMS on 23 March 2025. The petitioners alleged that even after his death the authorities delayed handing over his body and failed to provide them with the death certificate promptly.<\/p>\n

The State filed a detailed show cause denying all allegations. They asserted that the deceased was working as compounder in the village by profession and was in fact an active member of the banned militant organization, namely, Jharkhand Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC). He in the guise of compounder engaged himself in various organized crime viz. stealing property; violence; arms violations and other serious offence, as would be evident from Panki P.S. Case No. 25 of 2025. According to the State, several firearms, ammunition, knives, mobile phones, and stolen motorcycles were recovered during the operation.<\/p>\n

The State submitted that immediate departmental action had already been initiated. The Officer-in-Charge of Nawa Bazaar Police Station was suspended and subjected to disciplinary proceedings pending inquiry. The respondents mentioned that the Deceased -accused’s injuries arose when he fell from a motorcycle while attempting to flee from the police. Despite receiving extensive medical care, he eventually succumbed to complications arising from the injuries sustained during the alleged motorcycle accident.<\/p>\n

On the basis of the above-mentioned allegations, the petitioners sought initiation of contempt proceedings for violation of the Supreme Court’s guidelines in D.K. Basu<\/span> v. State of W.B.<\/span> They further prayed for departmental proceedings against the concerned officials.<\/p>\n

Decision and Analysis<\/p>\n

The Court after considering the materials on record, analysed the legal position governing contempt proceedings. It reiterated that D.K. Basu<\/span> v. State of W.B.<\/span>, (1997) 1 SCC 416<\/a> laid down exhaustive safeguards against police excesses and custodial violence, recognising that such violations strike at the very root of the rule of law and the guarantee of life and liberty under Article 21<\/a> of the Constitution<\/a>. The Court mandated strict adherence to procedural safeguards in cases of arrest and detention, thereby casting a solemn duty upon the State machinery to ensure transparency, accountability, and humane treatment of persons in custody.<\/p>\n

The Supreme Court had categorically observed that failure to comply with the guidelines so delineated shall entail serious consequences. The erring official, apart from being rendered liable to departmental action, would also expose himself to punishment for contempt of court. In such eventuality, proceedings for contempt may be instituted before any High Court of the country having territorial jurisdiction over the matter, thereby ensuring that the majesty of law and the authority of judicial directions are duly upheld.<\/p>\n

The High Court emphasised that while the legal principles laid down in D.K. Basu<\/span> case were well settled, before initiating contempt proceedings it was necessary to reach a definite conclusion that there had in fact been deliberate violation of those directions. In the present case, however, the Court found that there were substantial disputed questions of fact. The petitioners alleged illegal detention beginning on 1 March 2025, while the State asserted that the first arrest occurred only on 6 March 2025. The petitioners alleged brutal custodial torture extending over several days, whereas the State attributed the injuries to a motorcycle accident. Serious discrepancies also existed in the hospital records, medical fitness certificate and judicial remand proceedings.<\/p>\n

Questioning the then Deputy Superintendent of the hospital, the Court noted that the certificate cleared the deceased for custody yest also advised an X-ray and medicines. He also said that only photocopy was produced to him, and he was told that the original was misplaced. The Court however, noted that the advice was not placed before the Magistrate when the remand order was passed, leaving unexplained a separate “later on” endorsement directing medical treatment.<\/p>\n

The Court also had the hospital’s Medical Superintendent produce the original Admission Register in person. The petitioners pointed to a break in its registration numbers against consecutive serial entries, arguing the hospital’s own record didn’t add up; the State attributed this, along with a referral document dated 4 March 2025, to clerical error, maintaining the register showed admission only on 6 March 2025.<\/p>\n

The Court, hence, observed that these disputed factual issues could not be conclusively resolved merely within contempt proceedings. Determination of whether the injuries were sustained in police custody, whether the arrest procedures complied with the D.K. Basu guidelines, and whether any police officer had deliberately violated constitutional safeguards required a comprehensive factual inquiry supported by evidence.<\/p>\n

The Court then referred to the recent decision of another Division Bench of the Jharkhand High Court in Md. Mumtaz Ansari<\/span> v. State of Jharkhand<\/span>, 2017 SCC OnLine Jhar 1876<\/a> which had dealt extensively with custodial deaths and the statutory requirement of judicial inquiry under Section 176(1-A)<\/a> of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973<\/a>, now reflected in Section 196(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. That judgment had declared that every custodial death, disappearance, or custodial rape must be investigated through a judicial inquiry conducted by a Judicial Magistrate and that an inquiry by an Executive Magistrate could never substitute the mandatory judicial inquiry required by law.<\/p>\n

The High Court found that the principles laid down in Md. Mumtaz Ansari<\/span> squarely applied to the present case. Since the allegations concerned an alleged custodial death and involved serious disputes regarding the circumstances leading to Deceased -accused’s death, the Court concluded that a judicial inquiry under Section 196(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita was necessary before deciding whether contempt proceedings should continue.<\/p>\n

Consequently, the Court directed the Principal District Judge, Palamu at Daltonganj, to commence a judicial inquiry within fifteen days of receiving the order by nominating a Judicial Magistrate. The inquiry was directed to be conducted under Section 196(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, with the Judicial Magistrate required to submit a report before the High Court within three months from commencement of the inquiry. The Court clarified that only after receiving this inquiry report would it decide the further course of action regarding the contempt proceedings and any additional directions.<\/p>\n

[Saida Khatoon v. Vandana Dadel, Cont. Case (Civil) No. 571 of 2025, decided on 18-6-2026<\/span>]<\/p>\n

*Judgment authored by: Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Advocates who appeared in this case :<\/p>\n

For the Petitioner:<\/span> Shadab Eqbal, Ayush Raj, Advocate<\/p>\n

For the Respondent:<\/span> Rajiv Ranjan, Advocate General, Devesh Krishna, SC Mines III, Kumar Pawan, AC to SC Mines III<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Jharkhand High Court held that where facts are disputed and official records contain discrepancies in an alleged custodial death, a judicial inquiry is mandatory to independently determine the truth and ensure accountability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67544,"featured_media":391411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,10],"tags":[71960,110760,61312,13891,22924,3227,110765,31981,62151,110761,110758,110768,5791,110771,76456,110766,110769,110763,110759,71095,110770,110764,110767,110762],"class_list":["post-391409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-casebriefs","category-highcourts","tag-arrest-and-detention","tag-banned-militant-organization","tag-constitutional-safeguards","tag-contempt-proceedings","tag-custodial-deaths","tag-custody","tag-d-k-basu-v-state-of-w-b","tag-departmental-proceedings","tag-detained","tag-extreme-brutality","tag-extreme-torture-inside-the-lock-up","tag-humane-treatment-of-persons-in-custody","tag-jharkhand-high-court","tag-judicial-inquiry-within-fifteen-days","tag-justice-sujit-narayan-prasad","tag-life-and-liberty-under-article-21-indian-constitution","tag-md-mumtaz-ansari-v-state-of-jharkhand","tag-medical-fitness-certificate","tag-mercilessly-assaulted","tag-organized-crime","tag-section-1962-of-the-bharatiya-nagarik-suraksha-sanhita","tag-severe-injuries","tag-strict-adherence-to-procedural-safeguards","tag-torture-inflicted"],"yoast_head":"\nCustodial Death Allegations: Jharkhand HC Directs Judicial Inquiry | SCC Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jharkhand HC orders a judicial inquiry into an alleged custodial death under S. 196(2) BNSS, deferring the D.K. 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