Gangtok ;29th July :Following death in custody in Singtam ,the concerned authorities have initiated actions.
‘Inquest under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, has been conducted by SDM, Rabdang, in the presence of the Hon’ble Chicf Judicial Magistrate, Gangtok, the family of the deceascd, independent witnesses, the SFSL Forensic Team, the Crime Branch / CID Photography Team, and the Mcdico-Legal Expert from Singtam District Hospital.
Further, a Judicial Magisterial Inquiry under Section 196(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita,2023. has been ordered and is now under way under the supervision of the Hon’ble Chief Judicial Magistrate, Gangtok. This inquiry is entircly independent of the Police Department,’ according to SSP Gangtok Distt.
The National Human Rights Commission has been intimated of the incident within the 24-hour
period prescribed by the Commission’s guidelines dated 14 December 1993. The State Human
Rights Commission has been informed in parallel.
. The post-mortem examination is being conducted by a Board of Doctors under full videography, in compliance with the NHRC guidelines dated 10 August 1995 and 27 March 1997 and the directions of the Supreme Court in D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal, (1997) 1 SCC 416.
The scene has been scientifically examined by the State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL), and
detailed photography, videography, and crime-scene documentation have been carried out by the
Crime Branch / CID. AlI electronic records, CCTV footage, custody registers, and lock-up
documentation have been seized and preserved.
An Unnatural Death Case has been registered at Singtam Police Station vide UD Case No.
25(07)2026 dated 29 July 2026 under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha
Sanhita, 2023, and investigation is under way under an officer independent of the officers
previously handling the base case.
A departmental inguiry has been initiated, and the three police personnel who were on night lock-up
duty at the relevant time have been placed under suspension, pending the outcome of the
departmental inquiry and independent of the ongoing judicial inquiry and criminal investigation.
Gangtok District Police is fully committed to a fair, transparcent, and impartial inquiry. Any lapse,
misconduct, or criminal act cstablished during the course of the Judicial Magisterial Inquiry, the
criminal investigation, or the departmental proceedings will be dealt with strictly in accordance with law.
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