SC seeks info from Centre, NHRC on custodial deaths

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre and NHRC asking them to file data on custodial deaths.

A bench of Justices U U Lalit and Vineet Saran sought the details after hearing senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing as amicus curiae. The counsel pointed out alarming figures on such deaths. He pleaded for reviving the landmark 1986 case of D K Basu for issuing directions in case of custodial death, and torture.

The court also sought to know if the state human rights panel was functioning in each State.

In his plea, Singhvi said a dangerous trend has started lately wherein the elected representatives have made statements in public that tend to encourage, patronise and endorse custodial violence or deaths and encounter killings.

According to the 2017-18 annual report of NHRC, as many as 1,636 intimations concerning death in judicial custody was received, including 148 related to death in police custody during the year.

The NHRC recommended prosecution in only two cases and departmental inquiry in only 38 cases.