Heart Attack, Not Torture: Bombay HC on Custodial Death

The Bombay High Court recently dismissed a plea by the family of Vijay Singh, who died in custody in 2019, for a further investigation. The court accepted the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) findings, which concluded that the 22-year-old taxi driver's son died from a sudden heart attack rather than police torture.

Vijay Singh was brought to a police station on October 27, 2019, following a dispute. Police stated he complained of chest pain, collapsed, and was declared dead at Sion Hospital. His father alleged police torture and sought a CBI probe, claiming the initial investigation by the Mumbai Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) was compromised.

However, the CBI's in-depth investigation, initiated after the High Court noticed "loose strings" in earlier reports, found no evidence of manhandling by police. Medical reports indicated death by coronary insufficiency triggered by stress, with prior heart issues. The CBI examined numerous witnesses and found no independent corroboration of police beating Singh.

Ultimately, the High Court found no scope to doubt the CBI's report, which definitively ruled out assault as the cause of death. The court concluded that no cognizable offense was made out and dismissed the family's plea, upholding the CBI's determination that the death was due to natural causes.