Two cops suspended, crime branch SIT to investigate case
ROHTAK: A day after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal called on the family of custodial death victim Rajesh Kumar and demanded death sentence for guilty cops, the Jhajjar police on Tuesday suspended two head constables for showing negligence in the case.
Head constables Sandeep Kumar and Dinesh Kumar, who were allegedly present at the police station when Rajesh died, were placed under suspension by Jhajjar superintendent of police (SP) Pankaj Nain and a departmental inquiry against them was initiated.
Rajesh, an e-rickshaw driver, was allegedly called to the police station as a witness in a ‘missing person’ case. No FIR was registered against him.
The police claimed he committed suicide at the police station by hanging himself using a wire. However, his family rejected the claim and accused the police of killing him.
Protesting his death, e-rickshaw drivers suspended work for the past week and demanded action against the guilty. Besides Kejriwal, Congress leaders Deepender Hooda, Geeta Bhukkal and Naveen Jaihind and Kejriwal called on the family of the deceased in Jhajjar and demanded a CBI probe.
SP Nain said in cases of custodial death a probe was to be carried out by a magistrate. “But in this case, we have gone a step ahead and requested for a judicial probe from day 1. The probe report is expected to come in a couple of days. But the two cops have been suspended as per the preliminary investigation conducted by assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Shashank Kumar. Further action will be taken when the final report comes,” Nain said.
He said the police have referred the case to the crime branch, where a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed for investigating the case from all angles.
The police have also booked a man, identified as Vishnu, on charges of abetment to suicide and under SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) Act as per a complaint received from the family members of Rajesh. Vishnu had allegedly taken Rajesh to the police station.