Panchkula, Nov. 13 -- The Haryana human rights commission (HHRC) has referred an 18-year-old Panchkula youngster's custodial torture and illegal detention case to its chairperson (single bench-I) for consideration of constituting a larger bench to examine the recommendation of monetary compensation. In its order, the commission observed that the violation of the complainant's human rights had been substantiated by judicial observations, findings of a departmental inquiry and subsequent action taken by the state authorities against the erring police officials. It said the matter warranted consideration for recommending compensation under Section 18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The commission noted that the sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM), Kalka, had declared the youngster's arrest illegal in an order dated July 16, 2025. In a subsequent order dated July 18, 2025, the court had recorded visible injuries on his body and described the allegations of custodial torture as serious. Following directions issued by the commission on September 18, 2025, the director general of police (DGP), Haryana, had ordered an inquiry by an officer not below the rank of an IPS officer against inspector Jagdish Chander (now retired) and sub-inspector Yadwinder Singh. The inquiry, conducted by the additional superintendent of police, Yamunanagar, found both officials guilty of the charges. The DGP subsequently awarded punishment to them. The commission further observed that although the state government had notified a policy on compensation in cases of natural and unnatural deaths in police custody on August 6, 2026, no comprehensive policy had been approved for victims who survive custodial torture, illegal detention, physical assault or other human rights violations. It clarified that the absence of such a policy did not curtail its statutory powers to recommend compensation under Section 18 of the Act. The matter has been adjourned to November 25. According to advocate Deepanshu Bansal, counsel for the complainant, the 18-year-old youth was booked for celebratory firing following a panchayat election victory in June 2025. He was arrested and produced before a local court the next day, which granted him bail. However, despite the grant of bail, sub-inspector Yadwinder Singh allegedly re-arrested him on July 15, 2025, without obtaining prior permission from the court. During the alleged illegal detention, the teenager was subjected to physical assault, as recorded in the medico-legal report (MLR)....