India, July 23 -- The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) on Thursday took suo motu cognisance of allegations of custodial violence in Gurugram's Sohna observing that "police custody cannot become a means of torture."

The panel also directed the Haryana director general of police (DGP) to have the matter investigated by an officer not below the rank of inspector general of police (IGP).

The commission's action follows a judicial order passed on June 30 by Sohna judicial magistrate first class Mandeep Singh in connection with a first information report dated June 26, registered at Sadar police station, Sohna, under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act.

Justice Lalit Batra, chairperson of the Haryan...