IPS officer who was suspended for ‘extracting teeth during torture sessions’ reinstated by Tamil Nadu govt

“Senior IPS officers consider these (circumstances) sufficient punishment, given his youth and potential career impact. They argued that an indefinite suspension, especially with the trial’s lengthy duration, would be detrimental to his career,” the official explained.

Regarding the legal validity of this decision, the official emphasised that the chargesheet has been filed and the trial has commenced. “Now that the investigation is over and the case is before the judiciary for trial, revoking his suspension will not affect the case,” they said.

The office of the state DGP confirmed the decision was made last Friday. Asked about the potential conflict between the DMK government and influential IPS officers in the decision, the official clarified there were no objections from the state government.

“However, Singh will not be assigned Law and Order duties or any role involving public interaction. We are also considering surrendering him back to the National Police Academy,” the official said.

Singh’s alleged torture methods, which included tooth extraction using jelly rock and, in two cases, crushing the testicle of suspects, had caused widespread outrage.

Singh was suspended on March 29 last year and an initial investigation by a senior IAS officer concluded in April. The case was subsequently transferred to the CB-CID, which filed a chargesheet in September against Singh and a dozen junior officers, including inspectors and constables.

They were charged under IPC sections 294(b) (obscene acts), 342 (wrongful confinement), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons), and 506(1) (criminal intimidation), along with Sections 109, 201, 167, and 220 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. By December, all the accused had been granted bail.

There have been two hearings in the case so far.

Singh and his lawyer were unavailable for comment.

In March 2023, a Tirunelveli-based lawyer released purported evidence of the custodial torture implicating Singh, who is originally from Tonk in Rajasthan. Following backlash, Chief Minister M K Stalin announced Singh’s suspension in the assembly.

In the last week of March 2023, victims described to The Indian Express a consistent pattern in Singh’s alleged torture sessions – changing into casual attire, donning gloves and sandals, extracting teeth, and forcing victims to clean their blood. The methods allegedly included using sharp jelly rocks and specialised equipment. Junior officers assisting Singh were either unwilling or unable to object due to language barriers, his victims claimed.

Despite victim testimonies, the government initially did not file an FIR but conducted an investigation led by an IAS officer. The government and the then DGP, as a result, faced accusations of shielding Singh. Ultimately, legal action was initiated, and several officers were shunted out from their post for their alleged assistance or inaction in the case, including the then Tirunelveli Superintendent of Police.

The CB-CID police completed investigations in all four cases and chargesheeted Singh.

The victims’ lawyer, Maharajan, expressed dismay at the government’s decision, and said they will challenge it in the Madras HC. “Revoking his suspension is a betrayal of the victims, who believed that the state government would deliver justice.”