Nagpur: Senior Police Inspector Gokul Raut, along with Police Constables Manohar Gabhane, Sudhir Kalamkar, and Navnath Doifode, have received significant relief from the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court. The court has quashed and set aside the FIR, chargesheet, and court proceedings against them, which were filed under Section 306, 506, 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Section 3(2)(va) of the Atrocities Act.
This development follows the tragic suicide of Police Constable Ramanbabu Walde, who left behind three suicide notes and a letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police. Both the accused police officials and the deceased were stationed at the Traffic Branch in Bhandara. The suicide note, as well as the FIR and chargesheet, alleged that the deceased had been subjected to harassment at his workplace, including caste-based discrimination by the accused police personnel. As a result, Ramanbabu Walde took his own life on April 5, 2017. The FIR against the four police officers was registered at the Bhandara Police Station on April 6, 2017, and the chargesheet was filed on February 28, 2020.
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Challenging the chargesheet, the accused police officials approached the Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench, represented by Advocate Sameer Sonwane. Their plea sought the quashing of both the FIR and chargesheet.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the Court rendered its judgment, granting substantial relief to the four police officials.
The Honorable High Court noted that for abetment, there must be a direct or active act that compels the deceased to commit suicide, and this act must be intended to push the individual into such a dire situation. In cases of suicide, mere allegations of harassment may not suffice unless there is a direct action by the accused that forces the person to take their own life. This offending action should be proximate to the time of occurrence.
The court further observed that the contents of the suicide notes primarily reflect the deceased’s perspective that the harassment was due to his caste. It also acknowledged certain lapses noted in the Inspector General’s inspection report, which put the deceased under mental tension and pressure. It was clear that the deceased felt uneasy while performing official duties and was affected by the inspection report’s findings. The court emphasized that an individual’s response to such pressures depends on their mental capacity and tolerance level.
Ultimately, the pursuit of justice aims to uncover the truth, punish the guilty, and safeguard the innocent. In a unanimous decision, the Division Bench of Honorable Justices Vinay Joshi and Valmiki SA Menezes quashed and set aside the FIR, chargesheet, and court proceedings against all four police officials.
Advocates Sameer Sonwane, Shiba Thakur, Amit Thakur, and Aaquid Mirza represented the four police officials throughout the legal proceedings.
