1. By this petition under Art.226 of the Constitution of India , the petitioners have prayed for a direction to hold high - level enquiry into custodial death of Sahni Kewat, the deceased father of the petitioners (Bahartin Bai, widow of Sahni Kewat died during pendency of this petition). Sahni Kewat died in the lock up of Police Station Sariya, Tahsil and District Raigarh on 10/11-10-2002. The petitioners have also prayed for award of compensation invoking public law remedy as Sahni Kewat died in police custody.

2. The facts and circumstances leading to custodial death of Sahni Kewat, unfolded from the records of the case in hand, are that the police of Police Station Sariya received Mukhbir intimation on 10-10-2002 that one Sahni Kewat is engaged in trafficking of ganja. The information was recorded in the police station in Rojnamcha No. 230 at 11.15 hours on 10-10-2002 and thereafter, a report under Rojnamcha No. 231 was forwarded to the SDO (Police), Sarangarh at 11.20 hours through Constable Kuleshwar Bakla. Thereafter, the police team proceeded towards Orissa border so that the offender could be apprehended. It is the case of the police that at around 15:00 hrs., Sahni Kewat