A bench comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan passed the order after the CBI informed the court that both absconding officers had finally been arrested.
NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought an explanation from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Madhya Pradesh government over the delay in arresting two policemen involved in the alleged custodial death of a 24-year-old man.
A bench comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan passed the order after the CBI informed the court that both absconding officers had finally been arrested, PTI reported.
The apex court noted that the officers had not been apprehended despite its order dated 15 May, and remarked that the state government had only swung into action after the filing of the contempt petition and the court’s subsequent observations.
“What happened all these days? Why couldn’t you trace them? We had to almost frame contempt charges for you to act. This is not how a Supreme Court order should be applied. There was a three-judge bench order for arrest,” the bench stated.
Expressing concern over the conduct of the accused officers, the court asked, “What departmental action has been taken against the two officers? They even filed for anticipatory bail despite this court’s order that they should be arrested?”
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Raja Thakare, representing the CBI, informed the court that the agency had complied with its order and both officers had now been arrested.
“Uttam Singh was arrested in Indore on 27 September, and Sanjeev Singh was taken into custody in Shivpuri on 5 October. Both are currently lodged in Indore jail,” Thakare said.
The bench also directed the Madhya Pradesh government to provide details of the departmental proceedings initiated against the two officers.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on 6 November.
The court was hearing a contempt plea filed by the mother of the deceased, alleging non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s 15 May directive. On that date, the apex court had strongly criticised the Madhya Pradesh government for inaction against the policemen allegedly involved in the custodial death and transferred the investigation to the CBI.
The investigating officer, who took over the case on 30 June, had arrested another police official on 2 July based on an eyewitness account revealing custodial torture.
On 25 September, the bench had sharply criticised both the Madhya Pradesh government and the CBI for failing to suspend the absconding officers and warned of initiating contempt proceedings. It noted that the officers had been absconding since April yet remained unsuspended.
The CBI later informed the court that the suspensions were carried out on 1 October.
The bench had earlier reprimanded the agency for its failure to arrest the absconding officers promptly.
