NEW DELHI: Accusing top administrative and police officials of Chhattisgarh of trying to “cover up” a custodial death case, Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed lack of confidence in the state administration’s catching the errant officials and handed over the case to CBI. It also directed the state govt to pay Rs 25 lakh as interim compensation to the family of the deceased.A bench said that the case warranted immediate registration of an FIR and a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of Shravan Suryavanshi, which the state authorities had “conveniently and deliberately tried to cover up”.It said that state authorities were adopting a “dilatory approach” and could not be trusted to conduct an impartial probe. Shravan was arrested on Jan 18, 2024, after he was found in possession of raw Mahua liquor and lodged at Central Jail, Bilaspur, from where he was referred to hospital on Jan 21.He died a day later.Referring to the high court order, bench said the death of the deceased was on account of violence perpetrated on him in custody. In compliance with the court’s directive, the DGP, director general (Prisons) and principal secretary (Home), virtually appeared before the court, which found their explanation “perfunctory and pedantic”.“In this backdrop, the stance of blissful ignorance taken by the senior officers of the State of Chhattisgarh, including the Principal Secretary (Home), the DGP and the DG (Prisons), is sacrilegious and reflects a disturbing disregard for the statutory procedure governing custodial deaths. The explanation offered that neither any police action nor any disciplinary action was taken against the persons responsible because the judicial inquiry report had not been served upon the police officials is a cover-up story and an attempt to pull the wool over the Court’s eyes,” bench said.
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“We have seen the medical reports of the deceased Shravan and find that a clear attempt was made to mislead the inquiry because, in the medical report prepared at jail at the time of his death, the cause of death was recorded as cardiopulmonary arrest with aspiration pneumonitis, with the diagnosis being alcoholic withdrawal and delirium tremens,” it said.The court thereafter asked CBI director to ensure immediate registration of a regular case over Shravan’s custodial death, ordering that the investigation be entrusted to a senior officer and conducted expeditiously. The report of the investigating officer is to be placed before the court on the next date of hearing. It further said that the conduct of state officials concerned in failing to take appropriate steps pursuant to submission of the judicial inquiry report should also be examined and made a part of the investigation.
