New Delhi, Apr 14: The Asian Centre for Human Rights has claimed that there had been alarming increase in the custodial deaths during the Dr Manmohan Singh government.
 “The custodial deaths have increased by 41.66 per cent under the United Progressive Alliance government between 2004 2005 to 2007-2008. This includes 70.72 per cent increase of deaths in prison custody and 12.60 per cent in police custody,” ACHR director, Suhas Chakma said and blamed the Dr Manmohan Singh’s government in failing to prevent torture and gross rights violation in the country.
 The Centre said only four custodial deaths had been reported in Jammu and Kashmir in the past decade. The Congress ruled Mahrashtra reported highest number of custodial deaths and prison custody death with 246 in the past one decade, Uttar Pradesh has registered 165 and Gujarat 135 while as 112 custodial deaths took place in West Bengal.
 The Asian Centre expressed concerns that the UPA government had failed to address the need for an anti-torture legislation. Even when the Cabinet approved the decision to introduce the Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010 before the parliament and ratify the UN Convention Against Torture, the Bill is being treated as “state secret”.
 Among the torture cases in 2009, Asian Centre s highlighted the torture of American journalist, John Elliot who was subjected to torture by the Delhi Police.
 If a foreigner is subjected to torture in such a manner, what can happen to an Aam Aadmi in India? the report said the Central government and the state governments consistently refuse to provide sanction for prosecution as required under section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code. In December 2009, the Bombay High Court asked the Mahrashtra government to explain why it had rejected the state Criminal investigation Department’s plea to prosecute 10 officers of Mumbai Police in the Khwaja Yunus murder case. The state government had sanctioned the prosecution of four minor officers but let off 10 senior officials despite the CID establishing their roles in the custodial death of Yunus in January 2003.
 Torture is the most naked assault on human dignity.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST