THE Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear next week a plea which alleged that a 17-year-old boy, picked by Gujarat Police on suspicion of theft, was subjected to torture and sexual assault in custody.
The plea by the minor’s elder sister was mentioned before a bench presided by Chief Justice of India B R Gavai. Although the counsel sought a hearing on Friday itself, the bench said it will be taken up on September 15.
The counsel appearing for the petitioner said “the…minor… was picked up by the police, tortured in police custody, sexually assaulted — sticks inserted into his anus”. He urged the court to urgently direct setting up a medical board by AIIMS Delhi.
The plea said the boy was picked by Botad police from a fair on the suspicion of theft of gold and cash.
He was kept in illegal custody from August 19 to August 28 and subjected to torture, it alleged, adding that the minor was not produced before the Juvenile Justice Board nor a Magistrate within 24 hours of arrest.
On August 21, police also picked the petitioner’s grandfather who was also subjected to torture in custody before being released on September 1, the petition alleged, adding that police then informed the boy’s uncle that he had developed infection from an insect bite and should be taken to a larger city for better medical care.
The boy was accordingly admitted to a hospital in Ahmedabad, the plea said, adding that doctors there had nor provided any report to the family.
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The boy, the petition said, is currently undergoing dialysis due to kidney damage.
