JUDGMENT

KRISHNA IYER, J. :—The Criminal scenario with a tragic crescendo which has been unfurled in this Special Leave Petition starts with a bunch of suspects being brought up to the police post which was in the charge of the petitioner, an Assistant Sub-Inspector. A case of theft in some officers house had been reported to the police the previous night and so as part of the investigation the suspects were picked up and suffered, as part of the process of investigation. severe flagellation, Chhabila, one of those so tortured, succumbed to his injuries. This triggered off investigation into the murderous conduct of the investigation, the petitioner, and another. Medical examination revealed the cruel cause of death as asphyxiation. One of the injuries which, according to the doctor, made the deceased unconscious was torture on both the soles of the foot of the victiom. A trial for murder followed, a conviction under Section 302, was entered and eventually the High Court confirmed the conviction and sentence of life imprisonment so far as the petitioner was concerned. A false explanation of suicidal hanging was set up by the police officer-accused but this was rejected and eventual