Written by Arun SharmaJammu | October 10, 2025 04:40 AM IST 4 min readJustice Wasim Sadiq Nargal issued the directive Wednesday while listing the case for further hearing on October 27.The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh high court has directed Billawar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Neeraj Padyar to appear before Registrar Judicial and record his statement amid conflicting claims on two policemen in connection with the alleged custodial torture and suicide of a Gujjar youth in Kathua district.Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal issued the directive Wednesday while listing the case for further hearing on October 27. The judge observed that Padyar, who was part of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the SP (Operations) probing the case, had earlier submitted that while the SHO of Billawar Police Station had already been transferred, the other two officials — Jugal and Harish — against whom allegations were levelled by the petitioners, were not posted at the station.The court noted that the SDPO, who was personally present at the hearing, had stated at the Bar that “no such persons, namely Jugal and Harish, were posted at Police Station Billawar.”However, the petitioners’ counsel, Appu Singh Slathia, contended that electronic evidence submitted in a pen drive contradicted the SDPO’s statement. She said the footage indicated that both Jugal and Harish were present on February 5, 2025, when the deceased was taken to his residence and later died by suicide in a mosque at Bhatodi village. She further submitted that both officers were among the four policemen who accompanied the deceased’s body to the hospital.Makhan Din, 26, from Bhatodi village in Billawar tehsil had died allegedly by suicide on February 4 last year after consuming insecticide in a local mosque. Before his death, he recorded a video, claiming he was innocent and alleged that he was tortured by police to extract a confession from him about alleged terror links.Denying the torture allegations, the police said that the youth had been questioned earlier and was allowed to go home to fetch his mobile phone, instead he went to a mosque and consumed insecticide.Following the incident, the Kathua district administration ordered a magisterial inquiry, and the police formed an SIT on March 10.Story continues below this ad“Since there is an ambiguity with regard to the statement made by the concerned SDPO, Billawar, on April 25, 2025, this Court deems it proper to direct the said SDPO, Neeraj Padyar, to remain present before this court on the next date of hearing, with a view to record his detailed statement before the Registrar Judicial,” Justice Nargal observed.The judge added that recording the SDPO’s statement was necessary in light of the petitioners’ stand and the counsel’s submission that the two officials, Jugal and Harish, were present when Makhan Din was taken to his residence.“For proper appreciation of the matter, it is necessary to verify whether the police officials, namely Jugal and Harish, were ever posted at Police Station Billawar, or whether they were present at the time when the body of the deceased was taken to the hospital, or when the deceased was taken to his residence,” Justice Nargal said.The court also directed the SP (Operations), who led the SIT, to remain present on the next date of hearing to apprise the court of the progress in the investigation. Government Advocate Suneel Malhotra was instructed to produce the SIT’s case file and update the court on the current status of the probe.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Jammu and Kashmir