Supreme Court rejects bail for ex-IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. Here's why…

A Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta on April 29 rejected ex-IPO officer Sanjiv Bhatt's bail request in the 1990 custodial death case, PTI reported.

What Did the SC Say? Why Was the Bail Plea Dismissed?

The SC said there was “no merit” in the bail or suspension of sentence plea, as per the report.

Pronouncing the order, Justice Vikram Nath said, “We are not inclined to grant Sanjiv Bhatt bail. The prayer of bail is dismissed. The hearing of appeal shall not be affected. The hearing of appeal is expedited.”

Background: What is the Case?

Sanjiv Bhatt's plea against his conviction and life imprisonment is pending with the Supreme Court after he moved the apex court challenging the Gujarat High Court's January 2024 order dismissing his appeal.

Then additional superintendent of police, Sanjiv Bhatt on October 30, 1990 detained about 150 people after a communal riot in Jamjodhpur town. The riot happened during a ‘bandh’ call oppsing the halt of late BJP leader LK Advani's ‘rath yatra’ for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

One of the detainees, Prabhudas Vaishnani, died in hospital after his release and his brother accused Sanjiv Bhatt and six other police officers of causing his death due to torture while under custody.

The Gujarat HC has also upheald Sanjiv Bhatt's conviction under Sections 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with co-accused Pravinsinh Zala, as per the report.

Further, the HC had also dismissed Gujarat government's appeal to enhance sentences of five other accused, who were acquitted of murder charges but convicted under Sections 323 and 506, it added.

Other Cases Against Sanjiv Bhatt

Sanjiv Bhatt was arrested on September 5, 2018, in another case where he is accused of falsely implicating a man for drug possession. The trial in the case is underway.

He is also an accused in a case of alleged fabrication of evidence in connection with the 2002 Gujarat riots cases along with activist Teesta Setalvad and former Gujarat director general of police RB Sreekumar.

(With inputs from PTI)