Panchkula Police yet to register FIR on lawyer’s complaint

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, September 13

The police are yet to register an FIR in a matter pertaining to alleged thrashing of a Punjab and Haryana High Court lawyer by policemen. The police stated that they were still verifying all facts related to the case.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) had yesterday suspended three policemen and ordered a departmental inquiry against two cops for allegedly beating up the lawyer.

Meanwhile, the lawyer, identified as Deepak Aggarwal (47), alleged the cops grabbed him by neck, thrashed him inside a police vehicle after “taking him into the custody illegally”. He said the policemen beat him with belts and punched and kicked while they drove the PCR vehicle around the city.

A medico-legal report (MLR) of the lawyer conducted on Sunday evening revealed that there were six injuries - abrasion over left eye, right wrist, right side of the rib cage, skull, pressure abrasion on the back and abrasion over inner mucosa of the upper lip - on his body.

DCP Mohit Handa couldn’t be reached for comments despite several attempts.

The lawyer had reportedly used “Dial 112” service, seeking police intervention after his neighbour parked a scooter at his parking spot outside his house in Sector 4. When the police reached the spot, they accused Aggarwal of misbehaving in a drunken state and claimed that they had to take him into custody after he stopped them from acting in the matter.

The police subsequently also registered an FIR against the lawyer under Sections 186, 332 and 353 of the IPC.

However, after the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association intervened and condemned the police behaviour, the police cancelled the FIR against the lawyer.

The police said: “We will take appropriate action in the matter. Those found guilty, even if policemen, will be held accountable.”