The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed Ajmer Superintendent of Police, Vandita Rana, to submit a detailed status report on the alleged illegal arrest of two minor boys from the national capital in violation of inter-State arrest procedures. It listed the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.
A Bench of Justices Jyoti Singh and Anish Dayal questioned the Rajasthan Police for failing to inform the Delhi Police before arresting the two minors, aged 15 and 17, from Janakpuri in Delhi and taking them to Pushkar, Rajasthan.
The habeas corpus petition was filed by the mother of one of the boys, who is a relative of 24-year-old Deva Pardhi, a tribal man who died in custody in Guna district, Madhya Pradesh, in July 2024.
According to the petition, the boys were picked up on September 26 from Dussehra Park near Bharti College by “unknown persons dressed in civilian clothes”.
The petitioner, a street hawker who sells toys in the area, and her relatives searched at Janakpuri and Hari Nagar police stations but found no information. Later, her relative received a call from an unknown number stating that the boys were lodged at the Pushkar police station.
Inspector Vikram Singh Rathore of Pushkar police station, appearing through video conference, informed the court that the boys had been arrested in connection with an alleged “robbery” and would be produced before a Magistrate. Mr. Rathore also conceded that no age verification had been carried out.
The mother also alleged that the illegal and forced detention of the two boys was in response to the Supreme Court order. The court recently castigated the Madhya Pradesh government and the Central Bureau of Investigation for failing to arrest two police officers allegedly responsible for the custodial death of Pardhi.
Published – October 01, 2025 01:24 am IST
