Mumbai CBI court convicts two policemen for torturing detainee to death, sentences them to 7 years
Mumbai: In a rare conviction for custodial torture, a special CBI court in Mumbai on Tuesday sentenced two police officials to seven years’ imprisonment for assaulting detainee Altaf Shaikh, who later died in custody on September 11, 2009. The court also imposed a fine of ₹62,000 on each of the convicted officers, directing that ₹1 lakh be paid to Shaikh’s mother, Mehrunissa Kadir Shaikh.
Convicted officers and case background
The convicted policemen, Sub-Inspector Sanjay Khedekar (55) and Head Constable Raghunath Kolekar (62), were found guilty under Section 330 of the Indian Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt to extort a confession. A third accused, Police Naik Sayaji Thombare, died in 2023 during the pendency of the trial.
The officers were not arrested during the investigation as the offence was bailable. The case was initially registered after Shaikh’s mother approached the Bombay High Court, which ordered a CBI inquiry in October 2009.
While acquitting the officers of murder charges, the court observed that Shaikh’s death was due to “respiratory failure resulting from the combined effect of Alprazolam toxicity, ethyl alcohol, and lung pneumonia.” However, it accepted that Shaikh was indeed assaulted in police custody, sustaining injuries that could not be adequately explained.
According to the CBI, Shaikh, a driver by profession, had several theft cases registered against him and had been externed to Jalna. On the morning of September 11, 2009, Khedekar, Kolekar, and Thombare allegedly assaulted him at his residence and on the road before taking him to Ghatkopar Police Station. By 9 a.m., he was found unresponsive and was declared dead on arrival at Rajawadi Hospital.
A magistrate’s order in November 2013 added the charges of murder and custodial assault to the case. The prosecution, represented by Sunil Gonsalves and Abhijeet Sarnobat, examined 29 witnesses, including the victim’s family and eyewitnesses.
Although the inquest panchnama found no external injuries, the post-mortem report noted scalp contusions and internal haemorrhage. Forensic experts differed on whether the head injury or toxic substances caused death. AIIMS experts concluded that respiratory failure due to combined toxicity and pneumonia was likely.
Given the conflicting medical opinions, the court extended the benefit of doubt to the accused on the murder charge but held them guilty of custodial assault.
Following the verdict, Shaikh’s mother expressed dissatisfaction, stating she plans to appeal for an enhanced sentence. She recounted the hardship faced during the long legal battle, saying she and her daughter balanced household work with continuous court appearances over the years.
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Cheating made bigger than it actually is: Gukesh
Prague (PTI): World Champion D Gukesh has categorically stated that the problems around cheating in chess are made to be bigger than its existence.
Speaking during a press conference for the Prague International festival, Gukesh said he did not support Vladimir Kramnik, a former world champion who has been infamously levelling charges against quite a few chess players suspecting cheating during online games.
“Obviously, I’m against any kind of unfair or unethical play," “It’s a kind of problem that we have been seeing lately," Gukesh said.
The whole world had stood out for Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky of America who died at a young age of just 29 years. Naroditsky was a famous content creator in chess who appeared to be very emotional in his last stream just days before his untimely death.
Gukesh is not the only one to join the bandwagon as earlier World number one Magnus Carlsen, FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich and Indian stars Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin had also criticised Kramnik as his allegations could not be substantiated with any definite proof.
Speaking about the forthcoming Candidates tournament, Gukesh said he did not believe in favourites and that he would love to play fellow city-mate R Praggnanandhaa.
Meanwhile in the first round of the super tournament, Gukesh will face Hans Moke Niemann of United States, another player who has fought his way to top level chess. Niemann is a dangerous customer and Gukesh likes to go for complex play which insures a fighting beginning for the World Champion.
The other Indian in the fray, Aravindh Chithambaram will take on Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan, a recent winner of the Tata Steel Masters.
