Bombay High Court Dismisses Petition in 2019 Police Custody Death Case
The Bombay High Court has dismissed a petition filed in 2020 by two individuals, including taxi driver Hriday Singh, who alleged that his son, Vijay Singh (26), died due to police brutality in "illegal custody" in October 2019 at the Wadala Truck Terminus police station in Mumbai. The petitioners had sought action against the police personnel involved.
Court Accepts CBI Report Clearing Police
In a judgment made available on Wednesday, the High Court, comprising Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande, found the allegations against the police to be "unsustainable." The court accepted a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report that gave the police a clean chit and also cleared a couple with whom the victim allegedly had a scuffle. The CBI concluded that Vijay Singh's death did not occur as a result of beating by the police or the couple, but rather due to a sudden heart attack.
Background of the Case
Vijay Singh was picked up by the Wadala Truck Terminus police in October 2019 over a skirmish that he and two others allegedly had with a couple. The couple had accused three men of sexually harassing the woman. One of the other men, Nirmal Singh, who claimed to be an eyewitness to the beating, was the second petitioner in the case.
Legal Arguments and CBI Probe
Advocate Vinay Nair, representing Hriday Singh, argued that his son died "as a result of a cruel assault and inhuman treatment by a police official of this station." In response, the High Court had earlier formulated 10 factors for the CBI to consider in its investigation, which was transferred to the agency in September of the previous year.
The March 13 judgment, authored by Justice Dangre, observed that the issue before the court stood concluded as the CBI took all efforts to ascertain whether the youth was beaten by the police in custody. "From the very beginning, the answer to the said question is in the negative," the High Court noted.
Medical Evidence and Court's Findings
CBI counsel Kuldeep Patil stated that the agency, before concluding its report, relied on an expert report from AIIMS, New Delhi. A six-doctor panel unanimously determined that the death was due to a natural and sudden heart attack. Advocate Nair contended that not all relevant papers were forwarded to AIIMS, but the High Court disagreed, noting that documents sent on February 3, 2026, included post-mortem reports, histopathology reports, PM video, inquest proceedings, and replies from Forensic Toxicology at KEM Hospital and Grant Medical College, as well as the report of the magistrate's inquiry in the accidental death report registered with Wadala police station.
The High Court found no scope to doubt the CBI report and, observing its limited scope when no cognizable offence was made out, dismissed the plea against the police personnel.
