NE LEGAL BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, AUG 6
The Gujarat High Court on Thursday transferred the investigation of a case of alleged custodial death against six police officers from Vadodara to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID-Crime).
A division bench of Justices Sonia Gokani and N V Anjaria ordered the transfer of the case which was being probed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police of Vadodara.
Many “shocking details” have emerged as to how even after several months there was no clue about whereabouts of the missing man, the court said.
On July 9, a case was registered against six officers of Vadodara Police, including an inspector, for allegedly torturing and killing Babu Shaikh (62), a native of Telangana, seven months ago and disposing of the body.
Transferring the probe to the CID, the HC said it should be conducted by an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police and supervised by the officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector General.
The court had earlier ordered the police to invoke section 302 of the IPC (murder) in place of section 304 (rash and negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide).
As per the First Information Report (FIR) the accused police personnel had picked up Shaikh on suspicion of involvement in a theft.
The policemen allegedly tortured him inside the computer room of the police station which led to his death, and later disposed of the body at an undisclosed location. The FIR was registered at the same police station.
The accused allegedly made a false entry in the police station diary stating that Shaikh was released after preliminary questioning.
The FIR named inspector D B Gohil, sub-inspector D M Rabari, and four constables.
The High Court transferred the probe in response to a petition filed by Shaikh’s son Salim which said that his father’s body was yet to be recovered and there was no progress in the probe.
