Custodial death case against Bhatt comes up for first hearing

At present,two petitions related to the case are pending in the court,one the main trial; and other related to the revised petition.

After the first hearing on May 21 this year,the state government has now appointed Jamnagar district government lawyer Bimal Chotai as prosecutor for the custodial death case,which has been listed for hearing on June 14.

Chotai said: “The first hearing in the case was held on May 21 by the Khambhalia Sessions Court. As the accused could not remain present,the case has been adjourned till June 14.”

A complaint of custodial death was registered against the eight policemen by Amrutlal Vaisnavi,the brother of the deceased. Bhatt and the other policemen are alleged to have beaten up the complainant’s brother when riots broke out in Jamjodhpur.

The accused policemen had raised objection against the complaint under CrPc 197 under which the state government’s permission is mandatory before booking any official under any charge. Finally in 1996,the government filed a revised petition in a Jamnagar court to withdraw all charges against Bhatt and the other policemen. Later in 2006,the case was transferred to Khambhalia Sessions Court as Jamjodhpur falls under the jurisdiction of Khambhalia court.

Vaishnavi has recently written to the Jamnagar district judge to start the trial in the case. Vaishnavi has reportedly said that many witnesses have died and so the district judge should begin the hearing before it is too late.