HC transfers probe in custodial death of 27-year-old man to CBI

The Bombay High Court has ordered the CBI to investigate the alleged custodial death of Vijay Singh, citing discrepancies in evidence and police conduct.

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Thursday ordered the transfer of the investigation into the alleged custodial death of 27-year-old city resident Vijay Singh to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing serious discrepancies in witness testimonies, medical findings, and the police’s handling of the case.

HC transfers probe in custodial death of 27-year-old man to CBI

A bench of justices Ravindra V Ghuge and Gautam A Ankhad said several issues “require an in-depth probe that only an independent agency can ensure.”

The case dates back to the night of October 27, 2019, when Vijay Singh, a resident of Sion Koliwada, went out with friends Nirmal Singh and Ankit Mishra to attend a puja. Around 10:30 pm, near Wadala Truck Terminal police station, a quarrel erupted between Vijay and two others—Afreen and Dashrath. Vijay and his friends were taken into custody.

Vijay reportedly complained of chest pain, suffocation, and exhaustion while in police custody, but his family alleged that officers mocked him and refused to provide water. His relatives, who rushed to the station, claimed they were barred from helping him.

By early morning, Vijay collapsed. The police allegedly refused to call an ambulance or use a police vehicle to rush him to hospital. His family eventually arranged an Ola cab, which took him to Sion Hospital, where he was declared dead at 3:10 am.

An initial autopsy at JJ Hospital cited myocardial infarction (heart attack) as the cause of death, indicating a natural death. However, forensic experts later flagged irregularities, including conflicting records of the heart’s weight, raising suspicion that different heart parts may have been sent to separate hospitals for examination.

A second post-mortem at KEM Hospital documented 42 injuries, including a contusion on the chest, suggesting possible mistreatment. KEM experts concluded that Vijay died of acute coronary insufficiency, triggered by a panic attack, and noted that denial of timely medical aid likely worsened his condition.

Eyewitness accounts further complicated the case. Nirmal Singh consistently alleged that police beat Vijay and denied him medical assistance. In contrast, Ankit Mishra initially supported this version but retracted his statement in front of a magistrate in 2021, claiming Vijay had not been beaten. Mishra had gone missing for several weeks after the incident before resurfacing.

Vijay’s father, Hriday Narayan Singh, and relative Nirmal Singh filed a writ petition in 2020, demanding an FIR against the officers involved, CBI investigation, and compensation of ₹5 crore for Vijay’s family and ₹1 crore each for his two friends.

During hearings, the court noted glaring contradictions. The SIT had cleared the police of wrongdoing, but the bench observed it could not ignore the medical evidence of multiple injuries, the suspicious absence of CCTV footage (allegedly “non-functional” that night), and the denial of medical aid.

The bench ruled that “prima facie, the death of Vijay Singh cannot be accepted as a mere natural death” and directed the SIT to hand over the case record to the CBI within 15 days. The matter is next listed for hearing on November 14, 2025.