In the Salman Khan house firing case, the Bombay High Court finds no basis for allegations against police in the custodial death of Anuj Thapan, questioning why they would target an 18-year-old.
Picture Courtesy: Salman Khan/InstagramAnuj Thapan, who was allegedly involved in the April 14 shooting near Salman Khan’s residence in Bandra, passed away while in police custody. On Friday, the Bombay High Court concluded that there was no evidence to support claims of police wrongdoing related to his death.
As per PTI, a court order from October 25 revealed that a magistrate had submitted a report following a judicial inquiry under section 176 (1-A) of the CrPC. After reviewing the findings, the bench observed that there was no indication that Anuj Thapan’s death in custody resulted from police actions, as previously alleged.
After reviewing the report, the bench questioned the petitioner’s advocate, Nishant Rana, about the reasoning behind the claim that the police would target someone who was not even the main accused. They pointed out that the 18-year-old, who was not the shooter and had gone to the bathroom alone, posed no threat. The bench emphasized the need to consider the circumstances, acknowledging the mother’s emotions while also focusing on the situation at hand.
When the lawyer argued that the deceased was in good health, the judges responded by highlighting that physical strength doesn’t equate to mental strength. They noted that no one could fully understand the circumstances that may have led him to take such a drastic step.
The judges pointed out that many factors could contribute to such actions, including financial stress, such as the burden of lawyers’ fees, especially considering he was from outside Maharashtra. They emphasized that there are often unknown factors at play in such situations.
Justice Chavan informed Rana that the CCTV footage showed no indication of anyone accompanying the deceased to the toilet, ruling out that possibility. He further remarked that, under normal circumstances, the individual would have likely struggled or resisted if there had been any external force involved.
Justice Mohite-Dere advised not to be swayed by emotions, acknowledging that a mother will always have suspicions after losing her son. He emphasized the importance of addressing those emotions while recognizing the understandable anxiety and grief a mother experiences in such a tragic situation.
The judge further stated that they could not understand any reason why the police would target an 18-year-old in the Salman Khan house firing case who was not even the main accused.
