Notices have been issued to Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Government of Bihar to show cause as to why the Commission may not recommend grant of interim relief to the next of kin of Ram Udit Narayan Singh, who died while in the custody at Manjhol police outpost in Begusarai district. The Commission has given four weeks time to the State Government for a reply. Police arrested Ram Udit Narayan Singh on 28 April 1999 in a criminal case. Close on the heels of his arrest, the District Magistrate of Begusarai informed the Commission that Ram Udit Narayan Singh had committed suicide by hanging while in police custody on 29 April 1999.
The Commission called for the requisite reports from the Home Secretary, Government of Bihar and after going through the facts and circumstances it observed that in the present case, medical evidence belies the police assertion that the deceased died by hanging himself. The Commission decided that the death of Ram Udit Narayan Singh while in police custody is a fit case of award of interim relief to the next of kin. It at the same time pointed that there is a great responsibility on the police and prison authorities to ensure that the citizen in its custody is not deprived of his right to life.

The State has already punished the SHO concerned after a departmental enquiry by recommending his compulsory retirement vide order dated 4 February 2003.