A case has been registered against officers at the Cyber Cell in Faridabad following the custodial death of Saikul Khan, a 27-year-old man from Rajasthan’s Alwar district.
The victim’s brother, Sabir Khan, lodged a complaint stating that his brother was mistakenly arrested and that the police demanded a bribe for his release.
According to Sabir Khan, he received a call on July 20, informing him that his brother Saikul had been arrested. The police allegedly mistook Saikul for a cyber fraud suspect named Govind, who also resides in their village. Instead of releasing Saikul upon realizing their mistake, the police demanded money from Sabir Khan to secure his brother’s freedom.
Earlier, on June 19, Saikul Khan was apprehended while travelling on the Mumbai Expressway from Chidwai in Alwar to Faridabad. It is reported that he suffered custodial torture during his detention.
Saikul’s friend, who preferred to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, told The Observer Post that he was last seen riding on a motorcycle with an unidentified individual when the police intervened. Shortly after the interception, the family received the shocking news of Saikul’s arrest, with assurances that he would be presented in court the following day.
Sabir Khan and his cousin Hoshiar alleged that Sub-Inspector Rajesh Kumar demanded a bribe of 2 lakh rupees for the release of Saikul. After negotiations, they agreed to pay 1 lakh 65 thousand rupees, which was handed over to Sub-Inspector Rajesh in the presence of Inspector Bhajan Lal from the Central Investigation Agency.
Despite receiving the bribe, the police officers did not release Saikul to his brothers, claiming that he required medical treatment and recovery due to injuries sustained during the investigation.
On July 23, Saikul’s family received a call informing them that he had been admitted to BK Hospital in Faridabad. Sadly, upon reaching the hospital, they discovered Saikul’s lifeless body with significant injuries, particularly on his neck and nose.
After learning about Saikul’s death, Sabir tried to contact the police officer Rajesh who had taken the bribe, but he was nowhere to be found, and his phone was unreachable.
Sabir Khan expressed his anguish, stating, “Our brother is now gone, killed by the police. We don’t know what to do now.”
On July 24, Sabir lodged a formal complaint at Old Faridabad Police Station, invoking sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The complaint alleged that Sub-Inspector Rajesh Kumar and Inspector Bashant Kumar were responsible for the custodial death of Saikul Khan.
Saikul Khan was a promising young individual, preparing for various competitive exams while attending a coaching institute in Vijay Nagar. He would visit his family occasionally and had recently tied the knot, being married for just three months.
In response to increasing pressure from the public and possibly other authorities, the police officer who accepted the bribe has been suspended from his duties.
