PUNE | September 10, 2026
The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission has directed the Maharashtra director general of police to register an FIR against more than 15 Pune police officers, including the police commissioner and a constable, over the alleged illegal detention and assault of eight minors in a murder case.
The commission’s directive follows a fact-finding inquiry into allegations that the minors were kept in police custody for five days and assaulted after being paraded in public. Four of the minors belonged to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities, according to the report.
The commission has also recommended invoking provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the officers concerned. A senior Pune police officer declined to comment, saying he had not seen the order.
The minors, some of whom had surrendered before the police in connection with the murder investigation, were allegedly held at a police station without being produced before the juvenile justice board. They were later produced before the board after a family member challenged their detention.
The commission’s order said that both parts of the fact-finding report, along with its annexures, should be treated as the FIR under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. It directed that the consequential investigation be completed expeditiously.
The fact-finding team was constituted by the MSHRC and included Datta Karale, a special inspector general of police; Vijay Kedar, the commission’s registrar; and Viswas Pandhare, a superintendent of police posted at the commission. The team recorded statements from affected parties, inspected the location and examined CCTV footage and the police case diary.
The inquiry concluded that human rights violations had taken place, according to the commission’s findings. The allegations include prolonged detention, assault and the public parading of minors during the investigation.
The directive names officers ranging from the Pune police commissioner to a constable. The commission’s recommendation concerning the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes legislation relates to the reported identities of four of the detained minors. Further investigation and action will now be undertaken following the direction to register the case.
