Liquor Haul: Suspect alleges torture in custody, HC notice to police

In his petition, filed through advocate Manish Vashisht, Uttam Nagar resident Sanjay Verma has alleged that he was wrongly implicated in an FIR arising out of the seizure of around 8,500 liquor bottles from Om Vihar, Uttam Nagar, in the run-up to the Delhi elections.

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The FIR had been registered against “unknown persons” under Sections 323 (causing hurt), 341 (illegal confinement) and 34 of the IPC.

“The petitioner was intimated by the Crime Branch to appear before it in connection with the aforesaid FIR. The petitioner was surprised to receive the notice from the Crime Branch as he is neither associated with any political party nor has any involvement or knowledge relating to the seized liquor,” the plea said, adding that when Verma joined the investigation, he was put under “extreme pressure to give a statement against Naresh Baliyan, the MLA of Uttam Nagar”.

Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deepak Mishra confirmed that a case has been registered and that further investigation were on.

Verma has alleged that the four officers “wanted the petitioner to implicate him in the present FIR by alleging that the seized liquor actually belonged to him”. He has also alleged that when he refused to sign documents placed before him, he was threatened that he would be “killed in an encounter”. He claimed that he was then beaten with “a belt and cane”, which landed him in DDU Hospital.

Incidentally, two officers named in Verma’s writ were involved in probing the alleged leak of official documents from the Petroleum Ministry.

Claiming that the conduct of the officers was “absolutely deplorable”, the writ petition has now sought action against the officers named, including their suspension and registration of an FIR against them.

The plea has also sought court orders to transfer the investigation of the alleged liquor haul to “any other independent agency” and has also sought compensation for the mistreatment.