# State v. Gondia Police Police Sub-Inspector and others

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Record JSON: [https://datalibertarian.in/babuwatch/data/case/t2w2-03-008.json](https://datalibertarian.in/babuwatch/data/case/t2w2-03-008.json)

Trial-court conviction (Additional Sessions Judge, Gondia (Sessions Trial No.21/1996); Sessions Court). Convicted 25 September 2024. Appeal status: Appeal pending.

## Summary

In Sessions Trial No.21/1996 the Additional Sessions Judge, Gondia, convicted seven Gondia City police personnel — PSI (A-1), constables \[name withheld\], \[name withheld\] (A-3), \[name withheld\] (A-4), \[name withheld\] \[name withheld\], \[name withheld\] \[name withheld\] and \[name withheld\] \[name withheld\] — for the custodial torture and death of history-sheeter \[name withheld\] (taken into custody 7 December 1995, tortured in the Detective Branch room; body burnt and buried in MP, with a decoy passed off as an escapee), sentencing A-2 and A-4 to 7 years RI under IPC s.304-II/34 plus terms under ss.331/330/348/387/201/218 (full names and ranks from the Bombay High Court judgment, Crl Appeals 64-65/71/76-77/88 of 1997). The Bombay High Court (Nagpur Bench, Justice A.H. Joshi) confirmed the convictions on 12 July 2011 (except s.201/34); on 25 September 2024 the Supreme Court delivered a split verdict (2024 INSC 734) — acquittal vs confirmation — leaving final appellate outcome pending before a larger bench. Exact trial judgment date not stated in either appellate judgment; 1997 per appeal numbering.

## Report card

By judgment dated 25 September 2024, the Additional Sessions Judge, Gondia (Sessions Trial No.21/1996) convicted 7 police personnel, namely: Police Sub-Inspector, Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch), Dist. Bhandara (now Gondia); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.409), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.409 per judgment), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.1301), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.735), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (Batch No.997), Police Station Gondia; Police Constable (Batch No.91), Police Station Gondia.

- Register number: MH 35 CW 0007
- Case reference: Criminal Appeal Nos. 1614-1618 of 2012; reported in the judgment of the Supreme Court of India
- Court and date: The Additional Sessions Judge, Gondia (Sessions Trial No.21/1996), 25 September 2024
- Officer(s) at the material time: Police Sub-Inspector, Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch), Dist. Bhandara (now Gondia); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.409), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.409 per judgment), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.1301), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.735), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (Batch No.997), Police Station Gondia; Police Constable (Batch No.91), Police Station Gondia
- Present service status: Not ascertained from the cited sources.
- Provisions invoked: Section 304 Part II read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 331 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 330 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 348 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 387 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 201 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 218 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 202 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860
- Finding of the Court (extract): “I would maintain the convictions and sentences of the appellants, as confirmed by the High Court, and dismiss all the appeals.”
- Verdict, sentence and quantum: Conviction recorded by the trial court. Sentence: A-2 & A-4: 7 yrs RI + Rs.4,000 (s.304-II); A-2/A-3/A-4/A-5: 3 yrs RI + Rs.1,000 (s.331); 1 yr RI + Rs.1,000 (ss.330/348/387); A-3/A-5/A-6/A-7: 3 mo RI + Rs.500 (s.202); A-2..A-7: 1 yr RI + Rs.1,000 (ss.201/218); concurrent
- Present status of the proceedings: An appeal is pending; the pendency of an appeal is not a finding.
- Source orders: [Judgment / order (primary source)](https://www.verdictum.in/pdf_upload/manik-v-the-state-of-maharashtrawatermark-1655838.pdf); [Appellate judgment](https://www.verdictum.in/pdf_upload/manik-v-the-state-of-maharashtrawatermark-1655838.pdf); [Permanent link to this record](https://datalibertarian.in/babuwatch/trial-court/t2w2-03-008)

## At a glance

- Category: Violence & unlawful detention
- Sub-category: custodial death
- Location: Gondia, Maharashtra
- Officers: Police Sub-Inspector, Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch), Dist. Bhandara (now Gondia); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.409), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.409 per judgment), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.1301), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (P.C.B. No.735), Gondia City Police Station (Detective Branch); Police Constable (Batch No.997), Police Station Gondia; Police Constable (Batch No.91), Police Station Gondia
- Sentence: A-2 & A-4: 7 yrs RI + Rs.4,000 (s.304-II); A-2/A-3/A-4/A-5: 3 yrs RI + Rs.1,000 (s.331); 1 yr RI + Rs.1,000 (ss.330/348/387); A-3/A-5/A-6/A-7: 3 mo RI + Rs.500 (s.202); A-2..A-7: 1 yr RI + Rs.1,000 (ss.201/218); concurrent
- Verification: V1 · Trial court