Folk singer Maya Ahir’s son Jayraj held on attempt to murder charges

While Navneet Baldhiya, in his complaint to the police that led to an FIR against 8 unknown persons on December 29 at Bagdana police station, had neither named his attackers, nor Jayraj Ahir, the SIT arrested him on Saturday when he answered the second summons and presented himself before the team for questioning.

Speaking on the case during a press conference, Inspector General (IG) Gautam Parmar said, “With regards to the FIR filed at Bagdana police station 8 accused had earlier been arrested and then 2 others were also apprehended by the SIT. Based on their statements and other evidence, Jayraj Ahir had been summoned to the IG office 3 days ago and he was summoned today (January 24) as well. After questioning him today, the SIT believed he was involved and so he was placed under arrest.”

When asked what kind of evidence had been found against Jayraj Ahir, IG Gautam Parmar said, “the statements of the 8 accused arrested earlier as well as the two accused arrested by the SIT and statements by witnesses, as well as technical evidence which are to be verified by the FSL, have been taken into consideration including call data records and location details.”

When asked about the role of Ahir in this case, Parmar said, “We have found that the accused persons who attacked the complainant were in constant touch with Ahir.”

In a reel put out on his Instagram handle as well as speaking to media persons outside the IG office in Bhavnagar, before his arrest, Jayraj Maya Ahir said, “Today, on January 24, I have once again been served a summons to appear before the SIT. I have said this earlier also that I will be present whenever the investigation requires me and today too, I am going to answer the summons. I accept whatever decision is taken by the administration and the police. I have complete faith in the justice system.”

Meanwhile, IG Parmar also confirmed that an internal departmental inquiry is also underway against several police officers who were investigating this case before it was handed over to the Special Investigation Team.

The FIR in this case stated that the complainant Navneet Dahya Baldhiya’s son had called him on the phone at 1:30 am on December 29, telling him that four people in a car had stopped his tractor and pulled out the keys. The complainant said he thought it must be a friend pulling a prank on his son and so he went to the site. There, his son told him that the car had gone towards Bagdana village and so Baldhiya headed there on his two-wheeler.

After waiting at a tea shop for a while, he saw a white car passing by and believing it to be the same one, followed it. The car stopped near a factory and four persons exited the vehicle, two with sticks and two with rods in their hands. They then asked him why he was “recceeing” them, and before Baldhiya could answer, set upon him and thrashed him. Meanwhile, another car arrived and four more people joined in the assault before leaving him lying there and leaving the spot.

After a while, another car passing by, stopped and the driver offered help. Baldhiya called his son and he was taken to the Bagdana Community Health Centre (CHC) and then moved to a private hospital where an MLC was filed, leading to the complaint and FIR. The eight unknown persons were booked for previous assault, unlawful assembly and rioting among other sections of the BNS. On Saturday, Range IG Gautam Parmar said that additional sections pertaining to criminal conspiracy and attempt to murder had been added to the FIR.