SC Intervenes In Vejalpur Custodial Death: FIR Lodged Against Police Officers, Out-Of-District SIT Takes Over Probe
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Following a direct order from the Supreme Court, the Gujarat Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against several police personnel in connection with the alleged custodial death of 64-year-old Jahiruddin Gyasuddin Sheikh in Ahmedabad.
The 23 July order from the apex court has cleared the decks for an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising officers strictly from outside the district, to probe damning allegations of illegal detention, custodial torture, and criminal conspiracy.
The complaint was formally lodged by the victim's 28-year-old son, Taufiq Sheikh, a resident of Neha Flats near Nishat Society in Vejalpur. The case has been registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Allegations Of Vengeance And Unlawful Custody
According to the FIR, Jahiruddin Sheikh—who suffered from chronic diabetes, hypertension, and thyroid conditions—was targeted by Vejalpur police personnel out of vengeance. The family claims officers harboured ill will following a separate criminal enquiry against local police in 2024, coupled with a widely circulated video from 5 May 2026 showing officers allegedly assaulting individuals in public.
Subsequent to these incidents, Jahiruddin and his family members were implicated under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The complaint states that Sarkhej police detained Jahiruddin on 16 May 2026 without producing a formal arrest memo or written authorisation.
While in custody, Jahiruddin’s health deteriorated rapidly, necessitating transfers to VS Hospital and later Sola Civil Hospital. Although discharged on 18 May, police allegedly retained his essential prescribed medications and transported him back to the Vejalpur police station.
Overdose And Dying Declarations Captured On Video
The FIR contains shocking details regarding the night of 18–19 May, alleging that police personnel forcibly compelled Jahiruddin to consume roughly 100 of his own anti-diabetic tablets while held inside the station.
Prior to his death on 20 May 2026, Jahiruddin reportedly made a verbal dying declaration to his wife while being rushed for emergency medical treatment, stating he was severely beaten and forced to swallow the pills. Furthermore, the complainant has submitted two video recordings taken inside the hospital, where Jahiruddin specifically named Constables Akshay Desai and Pareshsinh, accusing them of kicking him in his private parts, pulling his beard, and subjecting him to physical assault.
The allegations are backed by clinical case sheets from Sola Civil Hospital, Asarwa Civil Hospital, and SVP Hospital, all of which document a history of massive anti-diabetic medication ingestion.
Out-Of-District SIT To Lead Comprehensive Inquiry
The newly filed FIR names multiple personnel across ranks—including an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Police Inspector (PI), Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), and constables—charging them with custodial torture, destruction of evidence, and criminal conspiracy.
To prevent local influence, the Supreme Court-mandated SIT will operate using officers drawn from outside the district boundaries. Investigators are expected to review hospital video evidence, examine medical records across the three hospitals, record witness statements, and verify the chain of events to establish full criminal liability.
