Bail plea of woman activist speaks of torture in custody

Labour rights activist Naudeep Kaur, who was arrested by the Haryana Police in January and is currently in Karnal Jail, said in her bail plea before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday that she was beaten black and blue by police officials’ at a police station.

The 24-year-old activist was arrested by the Sonipat Police on January 12 on charges of attempt to murder, rioting among other charges under the Indian Penal Code.

The court had on February 22 adjourned Ms Kaur’s bail hearing and listed the case for February 24. In the plea filed through her counsels Arshdeep Singh Cheema and Harinder Deep Singh Bains, the activist has stated that after being arrested, she was beaten, tortured and suffered multiple injuries. The plea also said she was taken to the police station in the absence of any woman police official and was severely beaten by the police. She added that she was produced before the Magistrate in the evening and sent immediately to judicial custody without a medical examination in violation of Section 54 Criminal Procedure Code.

Ms. Kaur submitted that during the custody in the police station she was “tortured and made to sign on blank papers”. Her application added that she was being falsely implicated and targeted as she had been successful in generating massive support in favour of ongoing farmers’ movement against the Centre’s new farm laws in the Kundli industrial area, which has earned the wrath of the administration.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had recently taken suo motu cognisance of a complaint through anonymous emails alleging illegal confinement of Ms. Kaur and had issued notice to the Haryana government. The matter will come up for hearing on February 24.