Ambasamudram custodial torture case: Madras High Court stays proceedings against Balveer Singh

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday stayed the proceedings against IPS officer Balveer Singh, pending on the file of the First Judicial Magistrate in Tirunelveli, in connection with the Ambasamudram custodial torture case.

Justice Shamim Ahmed passed the order while hearing the criminal revision petitions filed by Balveer Singh, the then Assistant Superintendent of Police of the Ambasamudram Sub-Division. In his petitions, he said that when he was in charge of Ambasamudram Sub-Division, the police faced constant problems in handling drug peddlers indulging in ganja smuggling. He said that since numerous complaints were received from the public about anti-social elements indulging in criminal acts, he had to take stern action against those with criminal antecedents to safeguard the public. Since he was a thorn in the flesh of the anti-social elements and vested interests found him an obstacle to criminal activities, false allegations were levelled against him, he said.

Mr. Singh said the trial court erred gravely in framing the charges against him in Tamil without taking note that Tamil was not his native language. The trial court ought to have ensured the supply of an English version of the charge sheet and witness statements in the case before framing the charges against him, he contended. The non-furnishing of the translated charge sheet and witness statements by the trial court resulted in depriving him of the right to defend himself effectively, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

He said the impugned order of the trial court framing charges without putting him in the know had deprived him of the right to complete defence by fully understanding the contents of the charge sheet and relied upon documents. The court directed the State government to file a counter affidavit and posted the matter for hearing in January.