BHAGABATI PROSAD BANERJEE, J. - (1.) This writ proceeding has been drawn up on the basis of a letter filed by the Lawyers' Forum for Human Rights, Calcutta, praying for necessary directions and orders with regard to the death of one Sri Dulal Gharai, who is stated to have died in lock-up of the panskura police station, Midnapore, on 17-10-1994.
(2.) This case was assigned by the learned Chief Justice to this Division Bench for its disposal.
(3.) The fact of this custodial death was published in various newspapers and that the case of the petitioner, as made out before this Court, is that the said Sri Dulal Gharai, since deceased, along with four other accused persons, were arrested on October 8, and that he was kept in the police lock-up, without producing the said accused before the Magistrate within 24 hours and that the said Sri Dulal Gharai was stated to have been beaten to death and he died on October 17, 1994. 1t is further alleged that Sri Dulal Gharai, along with four other co-accused, were kept in the police lock-up on October 8, 1994, to October 16, 1994, and all of them were mercilessly tortured.;