Badlapur 'Fake Encounter' Case: Magistrate Enquiry Concludes 5 Policemen Responsible For Accused's Death

A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Dr Neela Gokhale today (20 January) read out the report in open court. "It is said that as per the material collected and the FSL reports, the allegations of the parents of the deceased are justified and these five policemen are responsible for his death," the bench said.

The report states that the force used by the five policemen in the altercation with the deceased was 'unjustified' and that these policemen are responsible for the deceased's death. As per the report, there are no fingerprints of the deceased on the gun. It states that the police's stance that they fired in private defence is unjustified and under the shadow of suspicion.

The Maharashtra's Chief Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegavkar assisted by Additional Public Prosecutor Prajakta Shinde informed the bench that the State will act in accordance with law and register an FIR.

The Court was hearing petitioner/father's plea who among various reliefs sought an investigation into the matter as well as registration of FIR against the erring police officials.

On 25 September 2024, the Court remarked that it was difficult to accept that the accused, who was not a "strong man", couldn't be overpowered by the police officials who were with him. It was orally noted that the police official who allegedly shot at the accused cannot say that he did not know how to react, considering he was an Assistant Police Inspector.

On 19 December 2024, the parents of the deceased accused told the Court they have been surviving by begging on the streets as no one is giving them any job and even they have been forced to leave their own house and live on footpaths.

(Compiled by Sanjana Dadmi)