Extortion case may be filed in Ankit Gujjar death probe: CBI to Delhi HC

The CBI also filed a status report highlighting the negligence in providing medical attention to Ankit Gujjar, shutting down of CCTV cameras, and alleged extortion by jail officials.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday told the Delhi high court that it was investigating the allegations of extortion by prison officials in the custodial death of gangster Ankit Gujjar in Tihar Jail last year, and added that the agency may file a separate FIR in connection with the alleged offence.

The agency said that it has been established that Ankit Gujjar “had died on the intervening night of August 3-4, 2021 due to the blunt force injuries caused by sticks/lathi/baton/rods” and statements of four eyewitnesses have been recorded. (Sourced)

“Qua murder, the investigation is finished. Qua extortion, the investigation is going on. We will probably arrest the accused also. And then file a status report,” the CBI counsel told justice Manoj Ohri, during the hearing on a petition by Gujjar’s mother for a CBI probe into the custodial death.

The CBI also filed a status report highlighting the negligence in providing medical attention to Gujjar, shutting down of CCTV cameras, and alleged extortion by jail officials.

The agency said that it has been established that Gujjar “had died on the intervening night of August 3-4, 2021 due to the blunt force injuries caused by sticks/lathi/baton/rods” and statements of four eyewitnesses have been recorded. It stated that in the ongoing investigation, no CCTV footage related to the places of occurrence could be recovered.

“Investigation of the case is being carried out most expeditiously and earnest efforts are being made to conclude the case,” the status report said.

The court granted more time to the CBI to complete the investigation in the case, and adjourned the hearing till May 6. The judge also said that the authorities will continue to provide protection to the wife of Gujjar’s co-accused who had moved the court earlier alleging harassment at the hands of jail officials.

Gujjar, 29, was found dead inside his cell in Tihar jail. His family, represented by advocate Mehmood Pracha, moved the high court last year, alleging that Gujjar was harassed by the jail officials as he was “unable to meet their regularly increasing demands for money” and was murdered “as a part of a pre-planned conspiracy”.

Transferring the probe into the death to the CBI last year, the Delhi high court said Gujjar “lost his life to custodial violence”.

In its earlier status report, the central investigating agency stated that it had been established that several UPI payments were made from the account of Gujjar’s brother, and one witness disclosed that in March last year, one of the jail staff received cash delivered by him on behalf of the deceased. Investigation into these allegations was underway, the agency said in the status report.

The report stated that witnesses have claimed that there was a fist fight between Gujjar and a jail official, a deputy superintendent, and that one of them also witnessed the deceased being beaten along with two others who shared his cell.

Jail officials have said that four prison officials, including deputy superintendent Narender Meena (who was allegedly involved in a fight with Gujjar on August 3), assistant superintendents Deepak Dabas and Balraj, and warder Shiva had been suspended after the incident.