Compensate kin of custodial death victim, says HC

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Friday asked the state government to fix an amount of compensation in connection with a death that allegedly took place in police lockup earlier this year in Bhavnagar district. Three policemen have already been arrested, while one police sub-inspector is absconding for a couple on months after FIR was lodged against police officials serving at Talaja police station.


One Veljibhai Parmar was arrested on charges of theft on April 4. During his remand, he was allegedly brutally beaten by cops, which led to his death after 12 days.
An FIR was lodged in connection with Parmar’s death, but the investigation was being carried out by the Talaja police station only. Reports in regards with this incident led an NGO, International Human Rights Association, file a criminal application in the high court demanding transfer of investigation, as well as, compensation to the family members of the victim.
When the hearing took place before Justice Akil Kureshi last month, the high court asked a DSP to look into the probe. Upon court’s query, Bhavnagar police said that three policemen — ASI Punjabhan Suvera and two police constables Laljibhai Kalaswa and Suresh Gohil, were arrested. But one SI Ratilal Surani was absconding ever since the registration of the FIR.
After asking a DSP to take charge of investigation, Justice Kureshi transferred the petition to the chief justice with observation that the demand of compensation for victim’s family was an issue of public interest.
Accordingly, the petition came to be heard before a division bench headed by Chief Justice SJ Mukhopadhaya, wherein advocate for the petitioner Manan Shah argued that in 1996, the Supreme Court had asked the government to pay Rs 2 lakh towards ad hoc compensation.
Fourteen years have passed since, therefore the court should order the government to fix a proper amount to be paid to victim’s wife and son towards compensation. After hearing the case, the division bench asked the government to finalise the amount. Further hearing in the case is scheduled for September 27.