Why shouldn't CBI probe, SC asks Haryana govt in case where Delhi lawyer was arrested

New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Haryana government why the murder case in which a Delhi-based advocate was arrested by the Gurugram police's Special Task Force should not be handed over to the CBI.

On November 12, a bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai ordered the immediate release of advocate Vikram Singh in the case.

The apex court has sought response of the Haryana Police by Thursday.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Vikram Singh, alleged that the lawyer was subjected to custodial torture and arrested solely to extract information about his clients.

“He was tied to a pole all night and made to sleep like that. WhatsApp messages were sent despite this Court’s order restraining such communication... He was given third-degree torture. He was threatened that his hair would be cut, and it was cut immediately at the police station,” the senior lawyer said.

He also alleged that STF officials were pressuring Vikram Singh to “settle” a gang-war dispute because he represented certain accused persons.

“How can a lawyer settle matters between hardened gangsters?” he asked and urged the bench to confirm the interim bail already granted and to transfer the probe to the CBI “considering the seriousness of the allegations”.

He also pointed out that although the top court ordered the advocate’s release on November 12, he was freed only on November 13 at 8:30 pm.

The counsel for Haryana denied any wrongdoing and submitted that Vikram Singh’s bail bond was furnished only the next day, and that the release followed immediately thereafter.

He also said that the petitioner was making “misleading statements”, and that the grounds of arrest had been duly supplied.

He added that it was the advocate who had initiated WhatsApp communication with the investigating officer.

Opposing any move to involve the CBI, the state government's counsel said that the murder case was being handled by the STF and that transferring the present grievances would amount to transferring the entire investigation.

“So what is the issue? The CBI will investigate it much better,” the CJI said and listed the plea for hearing on Thursday.

Earlier, while granting the bail, the court had directed that Vikram Singh be released forthwith on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 10,000, and listed the matter for further hearing on this Wednesday.

The bench directed the registrar (judicial) of the top court to communicate the order to the Gurugram police commissioner for immediate compliance.

At the outset, Vikas Singh, who is also president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said that anybody practising in criminal law will now be susceptible to this kind of coercive measures.

He said the arrested advocate was representing gangsters but this kind of atrocities from police against lawyers were impermissible.

Vikram Singh, an advocate enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi since July 2019, is presently lodged in Faridabad jail.

"In the course of his professional duties, the petitioner has represented several clients in criminal cases between 2021 and 2025, including persons alleged to have connections with one Kapil Sangwan @ Nandu. All such representations were undertaken purely in the discharge of his professional obligations and in conformity with the Advocates Act and the standards of professional ethics.

"However, instead of respecting the independence of the Bar, the investigating agency has sought to criminalise the petitioner's professional association with his clients, thereby undermining the rule of law and the sanctity of the advocate-client relationship," the plea said.

It said the lawyer was targeted after filing an application before a court alleging custodial assault on one of his clients, Jyoti Prakash alias "Baba", who reportedly suffered a leg fracture while in STF custody.

"The retaliatory action by the investigating agency culminated in my illegal arrest," the petition said.

It said Vikram Singh was arrested on October 31 without a written grounds of arrest or independent witnesses, in violation of Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution.

On November 1, a trial court in Faridabad remanded Singh to judicial custody for 14 days by a mechanical and non-speaking order, devoid of any reasoning or material connecting him to alleged offences, it said. PTI SJK SJK KVK KVK