Ousted from service Gujarat cadre IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a local court in Jamnagar ovet a custodial death case which happened way back in 1990. A police constable Praveen Singh Jhala was also handed out same terms of imprisonment. Jamnagar District District and Sessions Judge DM Vyas pronounced sentenced.
Sanjit Bhatt's chances of getting relief had deemed last week when SC refused his plea for seeking examination of 11 additional witness in the case. Gujarat Police had dubbed it a merely as a time-wasting tactics.
In 1990, Bhatt was posted as additional superintendent of police in Jamnaga. The incident relates to death of one Prabhudas Vaishnavi who along with over hundreds were arrested by Bhatt's men for rioting during a Bandh. He was in custody for nine days and the day after he was released he died. At that time, renal failure was given as the reason behind the death. But soon an FIR wad filed for custodial torture resulting in death.
The case was taken up in 1995 but for a long time trial didn't take place due to a stay in Gujarat HC. Once the stay vacated in 2011, the wheels of justice started to move. Bhatt who is currently in jail in drug planting case has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Controversial cop Bhatt was sacked in August 2015 though he was suspended from 2011.
In this case, prosecution had submitted five thousand page chargesheet. Along with Sanjiv Bhatt, two police officers and four constables were also accused in this case. The charges brought against them were under section 302, 323, 506, 34, 114. In total 32 witnesses were heard by the court before coming to the verdict.
Sanjiv Bhatt was suspended in 2011 on charges of remaining absent from duty without permission and misuse of official vehicles, and later sacked in August 2015.
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