LAHORE, Feb 26: Justice Shabbar Raza Razvi of the Lahore High Court has observed that police torture in custody is a violation of the Constitution whose article 14 enunciates dignity of human beings.

The judgment, released to the press on Saturday, also cited article 5 of the Constitution which provides for the obligation of citizens, including government officials, to submit to rule of law. The judge ruled that the Kasur police had violated with impunity all provisions of the Constitution by subjecting three citizens to third degree torture.

The court gave the observation in deciding a criminal miscellaneous petition which alleged that the Kot Radha Kishan SHO had tortured three people before formally charging them in an FIR.

Petitioner Raunaq Ali submitted that the police registered an FIR against Mukhtar alias Guddu, Shahbaz and Shada on Feb 22, about 12 days before they were actually arrested.

The three were produced before the court on Feb 23 after they were recovered from the police station by a bailiff who reported that he saw torture marks on their bodies. Subsequent medical examination and statement of the three also substantiated the allegation.

The judge has directed the Kasur DPO to investigate the whole episode and proceed against the policemen responsible under the law. The court, however, did not release the accused on bail and directed the petitioner to approach the subordinate court concerned for such a relief.