New Delhi: Delhi police on Friday denied allegations of custodial torture and illegal detention of students who were arrested earlier this month.According to a petition, 10 people, including six students from colleges of Delhi, two labour rights activists and anti-displacement activists were illegally detained by police between March 12 and 14, prompting their kin to move court.The police, however, told the high court that the allegations were concocted to derail an investigation into the students’ suspected Maoist-linked activities.Before a bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja, the police said the protesters were called for “lawful questioning” in connection with an FIR registered in July 2025 in a case related to the raising of pro-Maoist slogans at India Gate.The court is hearing several habeas corpus petitions by the kin of the students and activists. It includes a plea by the younger sister of Lakshita Rajoura, alleging that she and other students were abducted and taken to an unmarked building in New Friends Colony by the police.The police said its probe pertained to a case involving the disappearance of a woman. They referred to her as ‘Ms. V’ and said that the trail led them to the students. The police alleged that Ms V was brainwashed by people with Maoist ideologies and the questioning of Rajoura and others led the police to the woman on March 14 this year.The police also said that the activists were associated with organisations such as Bhagat Singh Chatra Ekta Manch, which they alleged was a platform for anti-national, Naxalite content.Rajoura’s counsel said that in July last year, Rajoura was subjected to “grave sexual harassment” and “Islamophobic remarks” by an intoxicated inspector. She alleged that she had witnessed male students being beaten and she was forced to sign blank papers and backdated notices.The police, however, said that no illegal detention, abduction, coercion or torture had happened. “The allegations are highly exaggerated, contradictory and devoid of any material proof,” the force said.Responding to the petitioner’s demand that CCTV footage be preserved, police confirmed that footage from the special cell office in New Friends Colony had been preserved but footage from specific locations in Vijay Nagar and Maurice Nagar were unavailable.The court expressed its unhappiness over CCTV cameras not working but listed the matter for April 23.
