Bombay High Court Orders FIR Against Policemen in Custodial Death Case

The Bombay High Court has instructed the Maharashtra government to file an FIR against five policemen responsible for the custodial death of Akshay Shinde, accused in a sexual assault case. The court formed a special investigation team and criticized the government's reluctance, emphasizing the need for public trust in the justice system.

The Bombay High Court on Monday mandated the Maharashtra government to initiate a First Information Report (FIR) against five policemen implicated in the custodial death of Akshay Shinde. Shinde was linked to the Badlapur school sexual assault case.

A division bench, comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale, directed the joint commissioner of police's crime branch to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for an in-depth inquiry into the incident.

The court criticized the state government's hesitation in filing the FIR, stressing that such hesitance erodes both the state's integrity and public confidence in the judicial system. The court insisted that justice should be both enacted and perceived to be enacted.

(With inputs from agencies.)