New Delhi: As many as 348 cases have been registered in respect of deaths in police custody and 5,221 cases have been registered for deaths of prisoners in judicial custody between 2018-21. Informing this in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said that 136 cases have been registered for deaths in police custody whereas 1,797 cases registered in the year 2018-19.
Similarly, 112 cases were registered for deaths in police custody and 1,584 cases were registered in 2019-20, followed by 100 cases for deaths in police custody and 1,840 cases for deaths in judicial custody in 2020-21. The data provided by the Home Ministry said that maximum cases have been registered for deaths in judicial custody.
Significantly, Uttar Pradesh tops the list of States with maximum number of cases (1,295) registered for deaths in Judicial custody from 2018-21. Madhya Pradesh comes second with 441 and Maharashtra comes third with 370 cases.
Rai said that the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issues advisories from time to time to ensure protection of human rights.
“Further, pursuant to the guidelines issued by the NHRC, every death in custody, police or judicial, natural or otherwise, is to be reported to the Commission within 24 hours of its occurrence. If an inquiry by the Commission into police or judicial custody discloses negligence by a public servant, the Commission recommends to authorities of Central and State governments for initiation of proceedings for prosecution against erring public servant. The disciplinary action against the erring public servant is to be taken by the respective state governments as per existent rules, procedures, etc,” Rai said.
Read: ULFA (I) seeks constitutional ‘tweaks’, shuns I-Day ‘boycott call’
