The Punjab & Haryana High Court directed the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh (PGIMER) to form a Medical Board. The purpose is to provide an expert opinion on the nature of injuries sustained by a protesting farmer who was reportedly detained and subjected to severe beatings by the Haryana Police on February 21.

While reviewing the status report submitted by PGI, Rohtak, where the protester was previously hospitalized, Justice Harkesh Manuja raised a query to the counsel representing the hospital, asking why there was no opinion provided regarding whether the injuries were self-inflicted, caused by a fall, or as a result of being beaten. He emphasized that, given the severity of the injuries, the matter cannot be left unresolved in this manner.

The judge noted, "the summary / status report about the injuries found on the person of Pritpal Singh, has been given; however, no probable opinion about the manner in which the injuries could have been inflicted has been given."

In the previous hearing, the Court reprimanded the Haryana government for its failure to submit the medical report of the young protester, who was purportedly detained by the police during the farmers' agitation in February, concerning the demand for MSP.

The father of the youth has filed a habeas corpus petition, claiming that the Haryana Police detained his son within the confines of Punjab under the pretext of his participation in a "peaceful farmers' agitation.".

An affidavit denying these allegations was filed by the Haryana Police. It claimed the youth was found severely injured in the fields adjoining the barricades installed at the borders of the two states. According to the government, due to his critical health condition, the youth, Preetpal, was promptly transported for admission to the Civil Hospital. The counsel representing the Haryana government mentioned that the court's prior directive requesting the medical report of the protester was not made available on the High Court's website, hence hindering compliance.

In the same order, the Court had appointed a warrant officer to accompany the petitioner to PGI Rohtak or any other location identified by the petitioner to locate the alleged detainee. The Haryana government contended that Preetpal was never detained by the local police and informed the Court that he had been transferred to PGI, Chandigarh. The Court stated that the only matter remaining for its deliberation is the medical report.

Upon the petitioner's request to broaden the scope of the petition to assess the legality of the Haryana Police's actions and to seek compensation, the Court instructed the petitioner's counsel to provide relevant case law or legal provisions supporting their argument. In today's proceedings, another affidavit was submitted by the Haryana Police to address the omission in the previous affidavit, wherein the precise location where Preetpal was allegedly discovered injured had not been specified.

"it is submitted that he was found in Rectangle No. 10, Kila No. 22, falling in the revenue estate of village Datasinghwala, which falls under the territorial jurisdiction of Police Station Garhi, District Jind, Haryana," the affidavit stated.

Counsel for the petitioner, Advocate Ish Puneet Singh

Gurmeet Singh, Assistant Advocate General, Haryana, for respondent Nos. 1 & 3.

Athar Ahmad, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab, for respondent Nos. 2 & 4.

Mehak Sawhney, Advocate for respondent No. 5-PGI, Rohtak.

Title: Devender Singh v. State of Haryana & others