NAVPREET SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By filing present petition under Sec. 528 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for brevity, 'BNSS, 2023'), petitioners, i.e., (i) Inspector Navpreet Singh, (ii) HC Rajwinder Singh, (iii) SC Harjit Singh, (iv) SCT Jaswinder Singh Man, have challenged the order dtd. 18/2/2025, passed by Ld. Judicial Magistrate First Class-cum-Illaqa Magistrate, Bathinda (in short, 'Ld. JMIC'), whereby, while taking cognizance u/s 210(1)(c) of BNSS, 2023 in CRM No.707, dtd. 18/2/2025, all the petitioners along with one SCT Gaganpreet Singh, have been summoned under Ss. 103, 238, 340 r/w 190 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (in short, 'BNS, 2023') (corresponding Ss. 302, 201, 470/471 r/w 149 IPC).

(2.) On 17/10/2024, at about 11:45 PM, Inspector Navpreet Singh 69/IC, CIA.I, Bathinda deposits the dead body of deceased Bhinder Singh in the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, which is received by Dr. Rajat Sharma, MO, vide postmortem register entry No. 573 dtd. 17/10/2024. Subsequently, at about 4:43 AM, on 18/10/2024, Inspector Navpreet Singh enters DDR No. 03 dtd. 18/10/2024, PS Thermal, Bathinda which reads as under:

(3.) On 18/10/2024, ASI Gurpreet Singh entered DDR No.25 dtd. 18/10/2024, PS Thermal, stating that the father and relatives of the deceased were present at CH Bathinda but refused to record statements and father of the deceased namely Darshan Singh verbally stated that he would talk to his other son Satnam Singh, who is lodged in Jail, before recording any statement. But newspapers dtd. 19/10/2024, namely 'Bhaskar' and 'Punjabi Jagran' and one online Public App reported that relatives of deceased Bhinder Singh had protested and alleged that police officials of CIA, tortured Bhinder Singh to death as they had picked him from the place near village Lakhi Jangal, on 17/10/2024, with the allegation of keeping illegal weapon and kept him in CIA Staff and had also searched their house at 10:00 PM, but did not find anything. They further alleged that the police tried to put pressure on them to settle the matter for Rs.20.00 Lac.