The Gujarat High Court has stepped into a peculiar case involving a police vehicle set ablaze, after the accused claimed he was suffering from a severe mental health condition and imagined himself as the comic book hero 'Batman' during the incident. The court has issued a formal notice to the state government seeking its response.
Court Takes Cognizance of Mental Health Plea
On Monday, Justice V K Vyas of the Gujarat HC took up a petition seeking to quash an FIR registered against a 48-year-old man. The First Information Report relates to the alleged burning of a police jeep parked near the Ellisbridge police station in September 2023. The petitioner's counsel presented medical records to the court, arguing his client's actions were influenced by his mental state.
The counsel stated that the man has been "suffering from bipolar disorder with psychotic basis" and has been on medication and under treatment since 2017. He emphasized that the condition occurs in phases and is not permanent, leading to altered perceptions during episodes.
The 'Batman' Perception During the Alleged Act
In a detailed submission, the petitioner's lawyer explained the defendant's state of mind on the day of the event. "On the day that the 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," the counsel told the court.
Elaborating further, he described how the man, whose house is near the police station, went to the parked jeep, took some papers, set them on fire, and then placed them back in the vehicle before leaving. The petitioner was arrested on September 10, 2023, the same day as the incident, and granted bail by a magistrate the following day.
Legal Procedure and Judicial Remarks
The High Court, while issuing the notice to the state and the then police sub-inspector of Ellisbridge police station, made crucial oral observations. Justice Vyas noted that the magistrate must form an opinion on whether the accused was of sound mind at the time of the crime, as per legal provisions.
The court advised the petitioner's side to move an application before the magistrate under the Bharatiya Nyay Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. This would initiate a formal inquiry to establish a judicial opinion regarding the mental condition of the accused when the offence was committed. The petitioner's counsel lamented that the police had not included the medical documents in the chargesheet, hindering the defence.
The court was also informed that after being granted bail, the petitioner was admitted to a hospital for treatment and later to a rehabilitation centre in Bengaluru. His aged mother is currently his primary caregiver. The Gujarat High Court will now hear the matter further on December 16.
