Updated

An Indian court has sentenced 17 police officers to life in prison for killing a 22-year-old jobseeker in their custody in 2009.

Prosecutors said business graduate Ranbir Singh had gone to the northern city of Dehradun looking for a job when he was arrested by police for alleged robbery.

Newspapers said police claimed Singh was involved in an extortion racket and was shot trying to escape arrest. But an investigation determined he'd been tortured, shot 12 times at close range and died in custody.

Rights groups often accuse Indian security forces of torturing and killing people in custody to force them to confess.

Members of the victim's family said Monday they would appeal to a higher court for the officers to be given the death penalty.