The Gujarat High Court has stepped into a peculiar case from 2023, where a man allegedly set a police vehicle on fire. The court issued a formal notice to the state government on Monday after the accused claimed he was suffering from a severe bipolar disorder and believed he was the comic book hero 'Batman' at the time of the incident.
Court Takes Cognizance of Mental Health Plea
Justice VK Vyas of the Gujarat High Court issued the notice to the state and a former police sub-inspector of Ellisbridge police station. This action came after considering a petition seeking to quash the First Information Report (FIR) lodged against a 48-year-old man. The petitioner's legal counsel presented medical records in court, stating the man has been "suffering from bipolar disorder with psychotic basis and is on medication since 2017."
The court also made an oral observation, directing the petitioner to file an application before the magistrate. This application should request an inquiry under the Bharatiya Nyay Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, to determine the accused's mental state when the crime was committed. The matter is scheduled for its next hearing on December 16.
The 'Batman' Delusion and Incident Details
According to submissions made by the petitioner's senior advocate, the man experiences phases of his disorder where his perception of reality is altered. "On a day that the phase is there, he may be feeling elated … or he may be violent. He starts perceiving himself to be somebody," the counsel explained. The lawyer elaborated that the man could perceive himself as a social worker or even a police inspector on different days.
Regarding the specific incident on September 10, 2023, the counsel stated, "The day his incident occurred, he had started feeling that he is a character by the name Batman. He was in that relevant zone at that point of time." Taking advantage of his residence's proximity to the Ellisbridge police station, the man allegedly went to a parked police jeep, took some papers from it, set them on fire, and then placed them back in the vehicle before leaving.
Legal Proceedings and Treatment Post-Arrest
The petitioner was arrested on the same day as the incident, September 10, 2023. He was produced before a magistrate the following day, where he was granted bail. Following his release, he was admitted to a hospital for treatment and later to a rehabilitation center in Bengaluru.
A key argument from the defense is that the police did not include the medical documents in their chargesheet. The petitioner's counsel emphasized this point, stating, "My only request is that primarily he has committed an offence… but the police have not even taken these documents (medical records) on record in the chargesheet. Without these, I will never be able to prove my innocence…" The court underscored the magistrate's crucial role, remarking that the judicial officer must form an opinion on whether the accused was of sound mind during the event.
