Uttarakhand: Ex-SP found guilty of stripping citizen naked over garbage complaint
DEHRADUN: The State Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has held ex-Superintendent of Police (SP) of Pithoragarh, Lokeshwar Singh (IPS, retired from service), guilty of brutalising a citizen who approached him with a grievance. The PCA, after reviewing evidence presented before its officials, concluded that the former SP subjected the complainant to severe physical abuse, including allegedly stripping him naked inside his office and then threatening him with false implication in criminal cases. The Authority has now directed the State Government to initiate disciplinary action against Singh, whose resignation from the service was recently accepted. The incident dates back to February 6, 2023. The complainant, RTI activist and cloth merchant Laxmi Dutt Joshi, stated he approached then-SP Lokeshwar Singh regarding unhygienic conditionsspecifically, garbage being dumpednear the police lines quarters where he resides. Joshi noted he is the son of a retired sanitation worker from the police department. I simply went to lodge a complaint about the filth, Joshi later recounted, according to the complaint filed with the PCA. Joshi alleged that instead of addressing the issue, SP Lokeshwar Singh led him to an adjoining room, devoid of CCTV surveillance. It was there, he claims, that the assault occurred. I was stripped naked, and the beating began. His subordinates joined in, Joshi alleged. Following the alleged assault, he was ushered out through a rear exit, also away from any CCTV cameras. Following the alleged incident, Laxmi Dutt Joshi immediately sought medical examination at the District Hospital, which recommended an X-ray. When summoned by the PCA, Lokeshwar Singh submitted a sworn affidavit denying the allegations. He characterised Joshi as a criminal element with several First Information Reports (FIRs) against him, claiming Joshi was called in for questioning regarding an arson case involving vehicles on that particular day. Singh vehemently denied any physical abuse. However, the PCA bench, headed by Justice N S Dhanik and comprising retired IPS officer Pushpak Jyoti and Ajay Joshi, found Singh's defense unconvincing. The facts presented by the then SP Pithoragarh did not hold water, the Authority stated in its findings. Crucially, the PCA noted that complainant Joshi possessed medical evidence, including an X-ray report taken the day of the incident, indicating injuries sustained within a 12 to 24-hour window. Lokeshwar Singh failed to provide any counter-evidence to dispute this, the ruling observed. Furthermore, the Authority highlighted that the complainant had not accused any subordinate police staff, focusing the allegations solely on the SP. The PCA concluded that the charges against Singh were proven, stating the actions arnish the image of the police department. The detailed review confirmed that the complainant was allegedly made to sit naked and subsequently beaten. The Authority has recommended action under various sections of the Uttarakhand Police Act against Lokeshwar Singh. Lokeshwar Singh, who served 11 years in the Uttarakhand cadre, resigned as SP of Pauri district in October after reportedly securing a position with a United Nations-affiliated organisation. His resignation was formally accepted by the Central Government on November 28. He is currently on leave.
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