Custodial death: DCP gets NHRC notice

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday sent a notice to deputy commissioner of police (Zone 4) in the case of custodial death of Raju Thakkar alias Kanti.

The DCP now needs to send a brief report to NHRC explaining the development in case so far.

A new name — Jaswant alias JD — has been recently added to the existing list of nine accused. It is believed that the vehicle that was used for disposing Thakkar’s body near Sabarmati river belonged to Jaswant.

“Jaswant is a constable at Sardarnagar police station. His private vehicle was used to kidnap Thakkar from the gambling den and take him to Ajit Mills police chowky where he was tortured. He was also involved in disposing of the body,” said a police source.

STORY SO FAR
Thakkar, a small time thief, was arrested from a gambling den by Sardarnagar police on charges of mobile theft. He was later handed over to the surveillance squad of sector II police. The following day, his body was found at the Sabarmati riverbed.

A criminal case was registered against nine policemen and investigation of the case was handed over to DySP MA Chavda of Detection of Crime Branch.

The autopsy conducted on Thakkar’s body revealed that he was severely beaten with belts on his head leading to his death. There were also injury marks on his hands, thighs and back.

Head constables Dhiraj Desai and Ashok Bhatt had been booked as primary accused for wrongful confinement, causing disappearance of evidence and as abettor present when the offence was committed.