A Dhanbad lawyer, Shadab Ansari currently practising in Ranchi on behalf of another lawyer of Dhanbad, Mumtaz Ansari filed a PIL in Jharkhand high court demanding judicial enquiry in all cases of custodial deaths in the state.

Ansari in his petition before the court pleaded that altogether 161 cases of custodial deaths have taken place in Jharkhand during the last three years but in none of the cases judicial enquiry has been instituted despite ample evidence of custodial torture in many of the cases.

Talking to The Telegraph Online Shadab Ansari said, “The petitioner in his PIL application pointed that the as per section 176 (1-A) of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) it is mandatory to conduct judicial enquiry in cases of death, disappearance ore alleged rape in police and judicial custody."

The petitioner further pointed out in the application that for the compliance of provision of judicial enquiry in such cases he has earlier given representation to the state authorities but nothing has been done despite the fact that a similar representation on the same issue has also been given by another activist Onkar Vishwakarma.

Divulging more details, Shadab Ansari said that the victims of custodial deaths are generally from low income group or illiterate families who are unaware about their legal rights and even when they are aware of these rights they could not afford to fight the prolonged legal battles against the mighty culprit police officers.

“Despite the amendment which calls for judicial enquiry still in many cases enquiries by executive magistrates are conducted instead of the judicial enquiry,” said Shadab Ansari expressing hope that soon the petition will be heard by the court,