Srinagar, July 28 — In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves across the country, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an FIR against six officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), for allegedly subjecting a fellow constable to brutal custodial torture over a six-day period in 2023.
The FIR, lodged on the directions of the Supreme Court, names DSP Aijaz Ahmad Naiko, Sub-Inspector Riyaz Ahmad, and four other police officials — Jahangir Ahmad, Imtiyaz Ahmad, Mohammed Younis, and Shakir Ahmad — for their roles in the alleged torture of Constable Khursheed Ahmad Chohan at the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) in Kupwara.
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Allegations of Sadistic Torture
According to the FIR, Constable Khursheed, posted in Baramulla, was summoned on February 17, 2023, under the pretext of questioning in a narcotics case. Upon arrival in Kupwara, he was reportedly handed over to the JIC, where he was subjected to sustained physical and psychological abuse.
The complaint, filed by his wife, accuses the officers of using iron rods, wooden sticks, and electric shocks, along with inhuman treatment of Khursheed’s private parts, including mutilation and the insertion of red pepper and objects into his rectum.
Her account forms the basis of the CBI’s investigation.
“On February 26, 2023, Khursheed’s mutilated genitalia were brought to the hospital in a plastic bag by a police sub-inspector,” the Supreme Court later observed, calling the act “shocking to the conscience.”
Supreme Court’s Intervention
The case had earlier been dismissed by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, which declined to order a CBI probe. However, the Supreme Court sharply rebuked the lower court’s inaction, stating that it had “grossly erred in failing to protect the fundamental rights and dignity of the citizen.”
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta lambasted the Union Territory government’s defense that Khursheed’s injuries were self-inflicted, citing medical evidence that completely invalidated the claim of attempted suicide.
“The injuries, including the surgical removal of both testicles and the presence of foreign particles in the rectum, are medically impossible to self-inflict,” the bench stated.
The Court also pointed to temporal inconsistencies in the police’s narrative. While the constable was summoned for questioning on February 17, the FIR citing his involvement was only registered six days later, suggesting illegal detention and fabrication of charges.
Compensation and Departmental Action
In its landmark judgment, the apex court ordered the J&K government to pay Rs 50 lakh as compensation to the victim, to be recovered from the responsible officers upon the conclusion of the investigation.
The court further instructed the CBI to probe systemic failures at the Joint Interrogation Centre, including:
- Reviewing CCTV footage
- Interrogating all personnel present during the relevant period
- Conducting forensic analysis of the premises
- Reviewing protocols for interrogation and detention
Broader Implications
The ruling comes amid increasing scrutiny of custodial violence in India, where deaths and torture under police detention remain a significant concern despite constitutional protections.
This case, described by the court as one of the “most barbaric instances of police atrocity”, may serve as a legal and ethical precedent in holding law enforcement accountable for abuse of power and human rights violations.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
