In Brief
A young man (Deva Pardhi) died in police custody after alleged torture during investigation of a theft case. His mother and aunt challenged the local police investigation into his death, arguing the police were shielding their own. The Supreme Court held that when allegations of custodial death are made against local police, they cannot fairly investigate themselves, violating the principle that no one judges their own case. The Court ordered the CBI to take over the investigation and arrest responsible officers within one month. It also directed the trial court to expeditiously consider bail for the sole eyewitness (Gangaram Pardhi), who faced threats and false cases, and mandated witness protection for him under state responsibility.
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