Chandigarh: Punjab Police has told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that a committee has been constituted to investigate allegations that Sangrur resident Mohanjit Singh was allegedly kept in illegal custody and assaulted by police personnel.
The police submitted an affidavit before the High Court in response to a petition filed by Gurmel Singh, Mohanjit Singh’s father, who has sought a CBI investigation into the matter.
In an affidavit filed by Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, the police said medical opinion did not rule out the possibility that Mohanjit Singh could have sustained the injuries himself or that they may have been caused by someone known to him. Police also informed the court that four police personnel connected with the incident were transferred at the time.
The matter was heard by a bench headed by Justice Vikram Aggarwal.
Father alleges assault after black-flag protest
Gurmel Singh had alleged in his petition that his son had shown a black flag during Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s visit to a village in Sangrur district on September 2.
The petitioner’s counsel alleged that a group of police personnel subsequently went to the rooftop from where Mohanjit Singh had displayed the black flag and assaulted him.
The state government’s response was submitted in compliance with the High Court’s September 10 order, which had sought a detailed report on the steps taken after the alleged incident and before the constitution of the special investigation team.
Police version of the September 2 incident
According to the police affidavit, the Chief Minister’s ‘Lok Milni’ programme was held in Sheron village under the jurisdiction of Cheema police station in Sangrur on September 2.
Police said that before the programme began, Mohanjit Singh allegedly had an argument and exchanged abuses with local residents. Later, during the Chief Minister’s address, he allegedly returned to the rooftop of a building behind the stage along with Mani Sharma.
According to the police version, the two men displayed a black flag from the rooftop and raised slogans.
Police said Mohanjit Singh and Mani Sharma were subsequently taken into custody and kept at the Sunam Grain Market police post for questioning.
The police told the High Court that the two were detained as a preventive measure to prevent a breach of peace or the commission of a serious offence.
