Another case comes in to haunt Sanjiv Bhatt

After the cases of Jamjodhpur custodial death and controversy over FIR by constable KD Panth, another case has come to haunt suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. On Wednesday, Gujarat High Court reserved order on Bhatt’s petition to quash proceedings in a custodial torture case registered against him in Porbandar in 1998.

As per the case, the Porbandar police had arrested one Naran Sudha with RDX and weapons in 1998. The police registered case against Sudha and he was produced before the local magistrate court.

But in the court, Sudha complained that he had been tortured in police custody and that he had been falsely implicated in the case.

He alleged that the police had even harassed his family members and threatened them of dire consequences. He even alleged that he was given electric shocks and forced to confess to the crime.

Upon hearing the complaint, the local magistrate court sent Sudha for medical examination and ordered a judicial inquiry into the case under section 202 of CrPC. The court also issued process against all policemen, including Bhatt.

Later, Bhatt moved Gujarat High Court, stating that the process against him be quashed as the state government had not given sanction for prosecuting him in the case. But the hearing of Bhatt's petition came up after a very long time.

After hearing the contentions of both the sides, the high court on Wednesday reserved order on Bhatt's petition.