HC notices to Government of Punjab, DGP and SSP Mansa

High Court Bench comprising Justice Lisa Gill today issued notices for November 1^st to Government of Punjab/DGP Punjab/SSP Mansa/SHO, Police Station City-2 Mansa, and concerned Excise officials ( who had allegedly tortured Pawan Kumar, resident of Mansa) in a writ petition seeking Rs.10 lakh compensation–  as torture had lead to brain hemorrhage and paralysis to Pawan Kumar, disabling him permanently on right side.

              In the writ petition filed jointly by Kanta Rani and her husband, Pawan Kumar, it is alleged that Pawan Kumar was picked up by various officials of Excise Department on 18^th June, 2020 from   residence, and although no criminal case was registered against him, he was picked up and taken to the office of Excise Department, where he was brutally tortured, which led to brain hemorrhage and paralysis to him. From there, he was taken to a private hospital, in a stretcher, who referred him to another  private hospital at Bathinda, where he remained under treatment for 11 days.  He is permanently disabled on right side due to paralysis attack. The petitioner had submitted representation to SSP Mansa as well as SHO Police Station City-2 Mansa and also to higher authorities for registering a case against the concerned excise staff which included (i) Manjit Singh, Inspector; (ii) Sunil Kumar, ASI Punjab Police; (iii) Ravinder Kumar, Inspector Excise; (iv) Mahesh Kumar, Inspector Excise, who were accompanied by certain men of the liquor contractors. Subsequently, an SIT was formed, which recommended registration of an FIR against Manjit Singh, Inspector, Excise department, Mansa under section 342 (wrongful confinement) and section 166-A of IPC, But the said FIR  which was registered on October 27^th, 2020, did not include other members of raiding party, as accused in the said FIR.

            Now the petitioners, Kanta Rani and Pawan Kumar have filed the writ petition  for seeking direction to State of Punjab and concerned Excise officials to pay Rs. Ten lakh to them as compensation for unauthorized arrest, and torturing him resulting into permanent disablement of Pawan Kumar, who walks with great difficulty with a stick, and his right hand does not work.