Disgraced Former IPS Officer Sanjiv Bhatt Awarded Life Imprisonment In Custodial Death Case

Disgraced former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt has been awarded life imprisonment by a local Jamnagar court in Gujarat in connection with a custodial death case, Zee News has reported.

Another accused in the matter, Praveen Singh Jhala has also been sent behind bars for life.

It was earlier reported that the Supreme Court had dismissed Bhatt’s plea for examining 11 more witnesses in the matter, which he claimed was “key” to arrive at a free and fair conclusion.

"We are not inclined to entertain the petition. The same is devoid of merits. We dismiss it," the SC vacation bench ruled.

The matter relates to the custodial death of one Prabhudas Vaishnani in Gujarat’s Jamnagar in 1989 when Bhatt was serving in the district as additional superintendent of police.

Bhatt, who is popular in certain circles for being a vicious critic of Prime Minister Modi is also accused of falsely framing a lawyer in a 1998 narcotics case. He was sacked from the Indian Police Service (IPS) for unauthorised absence.