Acting over allegation of running a secret prison to confine juvenile offenders at a house in outer Delhi, Delhi Police on Wednesday suspended six policemen, including the station house officer of Vijay Vihar police station.
The suspended policemen are inspector Sunil Kumar, SHO Vijay Vihar, head constable Lal Singh and constables Rahul, Rajkumar, Subhash and Akhilesh.
A police officer of additional deputy commissioner level has been deputed to probe the matter and submit a report. The incident came to light after a TV news channel showed juveniles confined in a room.
It is alleged that the police officers took juveniles to an unoccupied four-storey building in Vijay Vihar but not to the police station.
As Delhi Police senior officers remained tightlipped and maintained that a probe has been ordered, sources said some police personnel of Vijay Vihar police station had acquired the building. Nobody knows about the builder or the owner of the building.
The officers had turned the building into a makeshift jail, where they would keep juveniles for interrogation.
It is alleged that the juveniles were forced to live inside a small room with their hands and legs tied up to prevent them from escaping. The officers even tortured the juveniles. It is alleged that the practice was in the knowledge of the Vijay Vihar SHO.
“From the facts as emerged during the enquiry, it is learnt that the incident had taken place and the juveniles had been detained to recover case property in some cases,” said joint commissioner of police (northern range) Virender Singh.
“In the follow-up action, six police personnel have been placed under suspension and they all will be dealt departmentally,” he added.
A detailed enquiry into the matter has been ordered, and a criminal case has been registered in this regard. “Further investigation will be conducted by the district investigation unit, outer district,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has made a panel of two members to conduct an inquiry.