A special CBI court in Mumbai has declared two police officers guilty in a custodial death case, voicing grave concerns over the credibility of the law with incidents of inhumane torture in India. The court found Sub-Inspector Sanjay Sudam Khedekar and Head Constable Raghunath Vithoba Kolekar responsible. They were accused of unlawfully detaining and torturing 29-year-old Altaf Qadir Sheikh in 2009, which led to his death.
The victim, Altaf Qadir Sheikh, was picked up from his home by the officers. Justice A.V. Gujarati of the special CBI court emphasized that police have the right to interrogate individuals, but they must document such actions in the station diary. If they intended to detain him legally, there should have been an entry in the records, but none were found. The court ruled that Altaf was held illegally.
The police alleged that Altaf worked as a driver and had several theft cases registered against him. In 2008, Mumbai police exiled him to Jalna. In an interrogation related to a case during Ramadan on September 11, 2009, at 4 a.m., he was picked up from his residence. By around 9 a.m., he was found in the custody room but failed to wake up. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead. His body bore multiple injuries, yet the officers did not provide explanations for the injuries.
Subsequent legal proceedings occurred, leading to a CBI investigation. The central agency proved in court that the two policemen facing trial had indeed brought Altaf from his home. Another police officer, Sayaji Bapurao Thombre, was present during the interrogation when Altaf passed away. Following these findings, the case against Altaf was closed.
Special public prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves from the CBI stated in court that the accused committed serious offenses of wrongful confinement and custodial torture. Being police officers, they were expected to ensure public safety but instead tortured Altaf in the detention room. The prosecutor demanded a harsh penalty for the accused. The judge concurred and stated that the accused did not deserve leniency. Both officers received a corrective sentence of 7 years.
However, the officers filed an appeal in the High Court, which led to the suspension of their sentence until November 7, 2025. Additionally, the court ordered their release on a personal bond of 50,000 rupees.
