Description
Custodial Violence: The Need for Stronger Safeguards is a critical legal and human-rights study of one of the most pressing challenges facing the criminal justice system in India. It examines the abuse of individuals in police and judicial custody, including physical, psychological and sexual violence, illegal detention and custodial deaths. Drawing upon constitutional principles, judicial decisions, reported cases and human-rights standards, the book explores the legal safeguards developed to protect persons in custody and critically examines the gap between these safeguards and their effective implementation. Particular attention is given to landmark judicial interventions, including D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal and Nilabati Behera v. State of Orissa, which have strengthened protections relating to arrest, detention, accountability and compensation. The book also examines structural factors contributing to custodial violence, including inadequate training, political pressure, outdated policing methods, weak accountability and insufficient oversight. It considers the role of the judiciary, law-enforcement agencies and human-rights institutions in preventing abuse and securing effective remedies for victims. Rather than treating custodial violence as merely a policing problem, this work presents it as a fundamental question of constitutional morality, human dignity, individual liberty and the rule of law. It argues for stronger legal reforms, police accountability, judicial vigilance, independent investigation, human-rights education and greater institutional transparency.