Panel wants life term or death for killings in police custody

NEW DELHI: Life imprisonment or capital punishment has been recommended by a parliamentary panel for death due to torture in police custody while the "threat of rape" has also been defined as torture.
The select committee on the prevention of torture bill widened the scope of public servants to include government-run educational institutions, companies and organisations.A minimum compensation of Rs 1 lakh has been recommended.
The panel has held that acts of sexual abuse against women and torture of children have been added to the "indicative" list. Committee chairperson Ashwini Kumar said fine-tuning the definition of torture was needed to make the proposed prevention of torture bill effective.
The provisions relating to prior sanction has been retained to protect public servants from frivolous or malicious complaints. A decision on request for sanction must be given within three months otherwise it will deem to have been granted.
The bill is intended to ratify India's acceptance of the UN convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment (UNCAT). The bill seeks to criminalise torture in Indian domestic law.
The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha but referred to a select committee by Rajya Sabha with concerns being raised over its provisions being incomplete while some felt it would "demoralise" security forces.