The Bombay High Court has reserved its order on a plea filed by Rita Devi, mother of Anuj Thapan—the accused in the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s residence who died by suicide in custody—seeking a CBI probe into his death, alleging foul play.
A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Neela Gokhale also directed the State to show the relevant portion of the CCTV footage to Devi’s advocate after he raised doubts over the magisterial inquiry report, which ruled Thapan’s death a suicide.
In December last year, the HC had observed that the 18-year-old’s demise did not appear to be a custodial death. It also noted that the police had no apparent reason to harm him, as he could have been helpful in their investigation.
Thapan was found hanging in the toilet of the crime branch lock-up at Crawford Market on May 1, 2024. Police claimed he used a bedsheet to take the extreme step. A mandatory magisterial inquiry was conducted, and a report was submitted to the HC. The CID, which also investigated the case, submitted a separate report.
During the hearing on Wednesday, advocate Nishant Rana pointed out discrepancies between the magistrate’s and the CID’s reports. “Some facts are totally opposite in the reports,” he said.
However, State advocate Prajakta Shinde clarified that the CID report submitted on May 15, 2024, was only an interim report based on an Accidental Death Report and that the probe has since been concluded.
Rana, however, insisted there was a conspiracy to kill Thapan. He claimed Thapan had told his mother that police beat him with a belt and that he was seen with a knife borrowed from an inmate. However, the magisterial report stated he was seen entering the washroom with a rope.
“As per the magistrate’s report, he (Thapan) was seen carrying a rope when he went to the washroom. It is also said that he borrowed a knife from an inmate. Why would he go through the trouble of hanging himself? He could have simply cut his veins,” Rana argued.
The judges, however, reiterated that they had reviewed the CCTV footage and “found nothing.”
When Rana pointed out that the magistrate’s report did not mention Call Data Records (CDR), the bench questioned, “He died in custody. Where is the question of CDR?”
The court then closed the plea for orders.
On April 14, 2024, two motorcycle-borne men opened fire outside Galaxy Apartments in Bandra, where Khan resides with his family. The alleged shooters, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, were later arrested in Gujarat. Thapan and an associate were apprehended in Punjab on April 26 for allegedly supplying firearms and ammunition for the shooting. Police claimed he had links to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
So far, six people have been arrested in connection with the case under the stringent MCOCA.
