The Punjab Police on Saturday transferred a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) out of Sunam and shifted three other officers, including an inspector, to the police lines amid mounting criticism over the alleged custodial torture of a Sikh man, Mohanjeet Singh of Sheron village, who was detained for showing black flag to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.According to an official order, Harvinder Singh Khaira, who was serving as DSP Sunam, has now been posted as DSP, First Commando Battalion, Bahadurgarh, in Patiala on administrative grounds with immediate effect. Inspector Parteek Jindal, the Station House Officer of Sunam police station, Sub-Inspector Baljit Singh, the SHO of Cheema police station, and Assistant Sub-Inspector Harpreet Singh have been shifted to Sangrur Police Lines.Separately, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directed Chief Secretary, Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav, and SP and DM of Sangrur to conduct an immediate inquiry into the allegations and submit an action taken report within two weeks.An NHRC bench presided over by member Priyank Kanoongo also directed an immediate medico-legal examination of the victim, preservation of complete and unedited CCTV footage of the police premises concerned and submission of an authenticated copy in a pen drive.It also directed authorities to furnish the FIR and custody records, details of all police personnel connected with the detention/interrogation, and a report on the allegations concerning the victim’s family members.The Commission has further directed that all medical records, CCTV footage, police records, electronic data and other material evidence connected with the incident be immediately secured and preserved.Mohanjeet had on Friday alleged that he was arrested on September 2 after he allegedly waved a black flag from the rooftop of his neighbour’s house while Mann was addressing a ‘Lok Milni’ programme. Mohanjeet had also raised slogans against the AAP government’s handling of the drug menace.Story continues below this adHe has alleged that he was beaten while in custody, slapped repeatedly and subjected to humiliation. In separate accounts, he has alleged that police gave him an electric shock, pulled his beard, rubbed salt into his wounds and tore his undergarment. He has also alleged that his hair was disrespected.He was kept in the lock-up at Cheema police station and produced before an SDM court on September 3, and was granted bail around 4 pm. About two-and-a-half hours later, he was admitted to Civil Hospital, Sangrur. His medico-legal examination reportedly recorded multiple injuries.The police have disputed his account. Earlier, Sangrur SSP Ravjot Kaur Grewal had said Mohanjeet did not appear to have injuries when he was produced before the court. However, citing the doctor’s opinion, she said the injuries had allegedly been sustained two to six hours before the medical examination.Police also pointed to his criminal antecedents, saying he has eight FIRs pending against him, including one involving an attempt-to-murder charge. According to the police, his dope test conducted on September 3 had returned positive. The village panchayat, however, has said Mohanjeet had used drugs in the past but had since been running a club against drug abuse.Story continues below this adMeanwhile, Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to Mohanjeet after party’s Punjab unit chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring arranged the phone call from hospital. Gandhi hailed Mohanjeet’s courage in “standing up for the truth and conveying his message”.To express solidarity with Mohanjeet, Warring said, Congress workers across the state will show black flags to Mann wherever he goes. Likening Mann to Afghan emperor and invader Ahmad Shah Abdali, Warring said Mann should have shown grace and dignity asked why he was protesting. Instead, Mann “unleashed the brute police force on the youth who was subjected to brutal third-degree torture in police custody and even given electric shocks”, Warring alleged.He demanded the immediate dismissal of the DSP and the SHO concerned. Such people do not deserve to be in the police force, he said.BJP MP Tarun Chugh alleged that by transferring the DSP, the government was trying to sweep the matter under the carpet. “A transfer is not accountability. The NHRC’s intervention must now ensure that the truth comes out and every person found responsible for custodial brutality is held strictly accountable,” he said. He also targeted AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal over the “police excesses”.Story continues below this adBJP Sangrur district-2 president Daaman Bajwa demonstrated outside the residence of Cabinet Minister Aman Arora in Sunam while carrying a black flag. “Showing a black flag and raising a question is not a crime. I dare the Sangrur police to now register an FIR against me and arrest me,” Bajwa said.Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia also reached Sangrur carrying a black flag and met Mohanjeet at the hospital. Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon spoke to Mohanjeet over a video call and demanded an impartial probe.