Ashish Joshi, a former bureaucrat, reported that he was questioned by Delhi Police for nearly nine hours on Thursday. The interrogation focused on his social media posts related to the Election Commission of India. During this time, Joshi was not permitted to inform his wife about his whereabouts for several hours, raising concerns about his treatment during the questioning.
The Special Cell of Delhi Police on Wednesday questioned Ashish Joshi in connection with a case allegedly related to posts involving the Election Commission.
Joshi was released in the evening after nine hours of questioning. The Special Cell of Delhi Police on Wednesday questioned Joshi in connection with a case allegedly related to posts involving the Election Commission. He was reportedly taken home by police after several people gathered outside the office of the counter-intelligence unit of the Special Cell in New Friends Colony demanding his release.
In the DK Basu vs State of West Bengal judgment in 1997, the top court set mandatory rules for police officers to stop custodial violence and protect the rights of arrested/detained people.
Police sources said that Joshi, a former controller of communications in the Department of Telecommunications, was picked up from Chanakyapuri for questioning in a case registered two days ago. Despite repeatedly asking the police to inform his wife about his whereabouts, he was told they were only “following instructions”, the former bureaucrat claimed. He alleged that the conduct of the police was a “blatant violation” of the Supreme Court’s landmark judgement in the D K Basu case and said informing a family member or a friend upon detention is a constitutional safeguard under Article 22(1).
