A court in Assam’s Karimganj district has directed that a case should be registered against a police official, after two suspected thieves were allegedly tortured in custody.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) has ordered the proceedings against the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Neelambazar Police Station – Deepjyoti Malakar, after the duo raised the torture allegations when they were produced before the court on Thursday.

The suspects, who were arrested by Neelambazar Police on Wednesday night, alleged that the physical abuse in custody was carried out under Malakar’s instruction; informed the advocate Rososindhu Dutta, who is representing both the suspects.

Malakar has refuted the accusations made against him, asserting that the two suspects were using them as a means of self-preservation because authorities had “complete proof” of their criminal activity.

Dutta further added that while in custody, one of them was subjected to atrocities in various ways, including the rubbing of chilli powder on private parts and pouring inflammable liquid on his body and threatening him to set him on fire.

They also pointed to a policeman, present in the court who had assisted in the torture, prompting the CJM Nur Md Abdullah Ahmed Majumdar to inquire about the personnel in this regard. The policeman acknowledged before the court of his compliance in the custodial torture.

Meanwhile, the CJM then admonished Malakar and a case was filed against him in accordance with Sections 330 and 323 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deal with voluntarily causing harm to obtain confession.

The proceedings lasted for over five hours, at the end of which the two suspected thieves were remanded in judicial custody, Dutta added.