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1st September 2006
Amritsar, Panjab, India - Darshan Singh, 34, a small time farmer has not been seen since he was 'picked up' by Panjab police six days ago and his family fears he is being tortured. Voices For Freedom has filed an application requesting the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Mr. Novak, under the provisions of the Convention Against Torture to take cognizance of the illegal abduction of Darshan Singh by Punjab Police. India is a signatory to the Convention Against Torture and is violating its principles. Voices For Freedom-Asia has filed an application to the National Human Rights Commission in India seeking his immediate release and safety.
On Aug 27th 2006 Darshan Singh was arrested by the Indian CIA (Criminal Intelligence Bureau) at about 5.10 pm. Plain-clothes policemen picked up Darshan Singh and Harbhajan Singh, a 70 year old gentleman, during a police raid on a house near the Chowki bypass, 100 meters away from the Majitha Road in Amritsar. During the raid, the house was surrounded by 2 private cars with policemen in civil clothes and a dozen civil officers. Harbhajan Singh, who was released after 2 days, said that Darshan Singh, who has not been produced in court or released, is being tortured. He said, "For the first day, Darshan Singh was tortured in front of me, where the police kicked him, stood on him and used rollers on his knees. Then they spread his legs as far as they could go till Darshan lost his consciousness. Water was thrown on his face to wake him up and the torture was repeated. Darshan Singh's face has swollen up. The next day he was moved out of the common room where Darshan was. He could hear Darshan's shrieks and painful cries, in the neighboring cell…."
Telegrams have been sent to the Chief Minister Panjab, the Punjab Human Rights Commission and to the Chief Judicial Magistrate Amritsar. Three telegrams have been sent to the Session Judge Gurdev Singh, Chief Judicial Magistrate Mr Varinder Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner Amritsar Mr. Bhullar. However, Darshan Singh has still not been produced in court, according to his lawyer V. P. S. Bhatia and he says that "so far Mr. Darshan Singh has not been produced in the court till the evening of Sept 1, 2006." He further said that the court had asked the Assistant Sub Inspector Police to file a reply by the evening of Sept 1 2006 but the Police officer failed to file the reply.
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Darshan Singh has a six month old son. His wife and an aged mother are running from pillar to post to seek his release. Darshan Singh's family continues to wait for justice. His mother has sent telegrams to the Chief Minister of Punjab, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court and Punjab Human Rights Commission.
Voices For Freedom seeks status report about his whereabouts and protection of his life and liberty. He was forcibly and illegally picked up by the police as per the information received by Voices For Freedom. He has been picked up for interrogation without the knowledge of his family and he faces threat to his life. Voices For Freedom seeks his immediate release and production in the court.
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