Controversial cop Sanjiv Bhatt gets life imprisonment for torturing man to death in custody

The Jamnagar Sessions Court on Thursday sentenced former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to life imprisonment in a custodial death case dating back to 1990. The court charged the controversial police officer with murder, under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

“After the complete trial in 1990 Jam Jodhpur custodial death case, Jamnagar Sessions Court today booked accused Sanjeev Bhatt and Pravinsinh Jhala under section 302 while the others are booked for torturing. For IPC 302 minimum punishment is life imprisonment and the maximum is death,” public prosecutor Tushar Gokani told media after the hearing.

Bhatt was the additional superintendent of Police when a man named Prabhudas Madhavji Vaishnani was tortured to death in police custody on November 11, 1990. The victim was detained with riot charges. The prosecution had submitted five thousand page charge sheet in the case, in which Sanjiv Bhatt, along with two police officers and four constables were accused of murder.

The verdict came after three decades, following a direction of the Supreme Court that the judgement should be given before June 20 this year.

Sanjiv Bhatt was suspended from the service in 2011 for remaining absent from duty without permission and misuse of official vehicles. Later he was sacked in August 2015.