The Bombay High Court on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government to strictly implement a law which requires police or jail authorities to immediately inform a judicial magistrate about custodial death in their jurisdiction in order to facilitate a probe.
In 2006, the law was amended to make compulsory for the police or jail authorities to inform a Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial Magistrate First Class about custodial deaths so that a probe is conducted and the body forwarded for inquest within two days, the HC was informed.
Hearing a petition, the court sought to know from the state government what mechanism has been evolved to inform the judicial magistrate about custodial deaths, and whether police stations or jail authorities are aware of this rule and are following it. Public Prosecutor SS Shinde said the rule was not being implemented and assured that the state would inform the police stations and jail authorities to follow the procedure accordingly. —PTI
