Custody death: SP told to reply in 3 weeks

The Calcutta High Court Monday directed the SP,South-24 Parganas,to file an affidavit within three weeks on a petition alleging that the police tried to cover up an alleged death in custody as unnatural death.

The petition alleged that one Kazi Nasiruddin was arrested in connection with a murder case on November 3 by Kultali police station officials. However,he fell ill in the custody and the police shifted him to a local hospital,which referred him to Baruipur state general hospital. At Baruipur hospital,doctors declared him brought dead. His father lodged a complaint alleging that Nasiruddin was beaten up in the police lock up,following which he fell ill and died.

Public prosecutor Manjit Singh pleaded that a magisterial inquiry is on. He said the police have already started an unnatural death case. Singh placed a report in front of the division bench comprising acting Chief Justice A K Banerjee and Justice Dengsu Basak on the incident. After going through the report the bench asked the Public Prosecutor to bring the case diary during the next hearing.

Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharjee,counsel of the petitioner,meanwhile,said that since the state has admitted that it was case of unnatural death,it means “Nasiruddin was not properly handled by the police in the custody”.