Former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sanjiv Bhatt has been acquitted in a 27-year-old custodial torture case that dates back to 1997. The Porbandar court in Gujarat, under the guidance of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Mukesh Pandya, ruled that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to Bhatt’s acquittal. The case involved allegations that Bhatt, who was serving as the superintendent of police (SP) in Porbandar at the time, used force to coerce a confession from the complainant.
Bhatt was accused of causing grievous harm to Naran Jadav in order to extract a confession in relation to a Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) case and violations of the Arms Act. Jadav had claimed he was tortured with electric shocks, including to his private parts, during his time in custody at Bhatt’s residence in 1997. Jadav also stated that his son was subjected to similar treatment. Following Jadav’s testimony to a judicial magistrate in December 1998, the case was investigated. However, the court found insufficient evidence to support the allegations, and also noted that the necessary sanction to prosecute Bhatt, a serving public servant at the time, was not obtained. This technicality played a significant role in the court’s decision.
While Bhatt has been acquitted in the 1997 custodial torture case, his career remains highly controversial. He is currently serving a life sentence for a custodial death case from 1990 in Jamnagar. In March 2024, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for framing a lawyer in a 1996 case in Palanpur. Bhatt is also facing accusations related to the 2002 Gujarat riots, including alleged evidence manipulation alongside activist Teesta Setalvad and former Gujarat DGP RB Sreekumar.
Bhatt’s dismissal from the police service in 2015, following a protracted dispute with the Gujarat government over unauthorized absences, further adds to the complexity of his public image. Despite his acquittal in this case, his involvement in high-profile legal and political controversies continues to attract significant attention.
