JUDGMENT

Bharucha, J.-These writ petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution of India are filed by the parents of one Rishipal who died while in judicial custody on 1st June, 1996. They pray that an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation be ordered into the circumstances of Rishipal s death and that the respondents, the State of Uttar Pradesh and the police and jail authorities of Meerut, be directed to pay to them compensation for his death.

2. Rishipal was married to Munish and had three children, aged 7, 4 and 2½ years in 1997. Munish died on 16th May, 1996. In a complaint lodged in the Police Station, Jani, District Meerut, by the brother of Munish, Rishipal, his brother, father, mother and sister were alleged to have been involved in the death of Munish. On 27th May, 1996, Rishipal, his brother and father were arrested. On 28th May, 1996, they were remanded to judicial custody and lodged in the District Jail, Meerut. Rishipal was seen to be in good health on 31st May, 1996. On the next day, the petitioners received a message that Rishipal had been taken ill and hospitalised in the Medical College, Meerut. On that day, Rishipal was visited by his uncle in the M