Circle Officer Hafiz-ur-Rehman, the investigating officer, said: “We are hunting for the policemen found guilty in the investigation. They are absconding.”

The CO said that Madhai, an accused in a murder case, was arrested by the police on September 11, 2008.

The police were supposed to produce him before the court within 24 hours of the arrest, but they detained and allegedly tortured him in custody for three days, Rehman said. Upset, Madhai hanged himself in the lock-up.

The then SO of the police station, N D Pathak and sub-inspector Harilal Kashyap, who was the IO in the murder case, then lodged a case of attempted suicide against Madhai under Section 309 IPC.

The CO also said senior officials then had conducted a probe into the role of the policemen and found them guilty of torturing the accused in custody. A case was lodged after two days against the then SO, the S-I, a head constable and six constables who were involved in the incident.

The case was registered under Sections 342 (illegal detention) and 306 (abetment to suicide) IPC.