The Gujarat high court on Thursday sentenced four policemen to 14-day imprisonment for publicly flogging three Muslim men after tying them to a pole at Undhela in the Kheda district in October last year.
A bench of Justices AS Supehia and Gita Gopi rejected inspector AV Parmar, sub-Inspector DB Kumavat, head constable KL Dabhi, and constable Raju Dabhi’s plea against the imprisonment. They instead offered to compensate the three.
The policemen on October 11 told the court that hitting people on their buttocks with a stick should not constitute custodial torture. They pleaded a guilty verdict and the subsequent punishment would adversely affect their professional records and offered unconditional apologies.
Senior Advocate Prakash Jani, who represented the four, on October 16 told the bench that his clients met the Muslim men and their lawyer. He added the victims chose not to accept any compromise or compensation following discussions with their community members.
Police superintendent Rajesh Kumar Gadhiya last year told the court that the three were allegedly part of a conspiracy to disrupt a Garba event to create fear among the Hindu community. He claimed the four policemen resorted to force to maintain peace.
The court directed a magistrate to review the video footage and images of the flogging that went viral on social media. The magistrate’s report said the videos and photos were unclear and only four of the policemen accused of assaulting the three could be identified.
{{/usCountry}}The court directed a magistrate to review the video footage and images of the flogging that went viral on social media. The magistrate’s report said the videos and photos were unclear and only four of the policemen accused of assaulting the three could be identified.
{{/usCountry}}On October 4, the court framed charges against the four for violating the Supreme Court guidelines on police conduct during arrests and detentions.