<p>Ahmedabad: The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/gujarat-high-court">Gujarat High Court</a> on Tuesday acquitted former Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) S S Khandwawala in a 50-year-old <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/custodial-torture">custodial torture</a> case. The court set aside the order of a lower court which had found him guilty and sentenced to five years imprisonment. </p><p>Justice Gita Gopi pronounced the judgement acquitting Khandwawala while holding that the prosecution failed to prove the case of custodial torture of the complaint. </p><p>"The injuries are not proved as of police custody beating. Even the date of custody is not proved. The complainant had failed to invoke his right to make a complaint of injuries by police as an accused when was arrested and produced before the Magistrate in case under the Arms Act," justice Gopi held in the detailed judgement. </p>.Akshardham attack: Gujarat POTA court discharges three accused.<p>In 2003, a fast track court in Junagadh had convicted him for voluntarily causing grievous hurt to the complainant "to extort confession" at Porbandar police station.</p><p>Two other subordinates of Khandwawala who had been convicted were deleted since they passed away during the pendency.</p><p>Khandwawala had served as Gujarat DGP between 2009 and 2010. After retirement, he joined a private firm before being appointed as chief of Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI)'s anti-corruption unit chief.</p><p>On October 7, 1976, a police team searched the house of the Merag Haja, a history sheeter, at Sutrej village in Keshod taluka of Junagadh district, looking for weapons. </p><p>Khandwawala, who was then a deputy superintendent of police, Junagadh, also came with the police team later in the day in search of weapons.</p><p>The team led by Khandwawala took him to Porbandar police station where Haja was alleged to have been tortured. Subsequently, Haja filed a private complaint with the court against Khandwawala and others. </p>
<p>Ahmedabad: The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/gujarat-high-court">Gujarat High Court</a> on Tuesday acquitted former Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) S S Khandwawala in a 50-year-old <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/custodial-torture">custodial torture</a> case. The court set aside the order of a lower court which had found him guilty and sentenced to five years imprisonment. </p><p>Justice Gita Gopi pronounced the judgement acquitting Khandwawala while holding that the prosecution failed to prove the case of custodial torture of the complaint. </p><p>"The injuries are not proved as of police custody beating. Even the date of custody is not proved. The complainant had failed to invoke his right to make a complaint of injuries by police as an accused when was arrested and produced before the Magistrate in case under the Arms Act," justice Gopi held in the detailed judgement. </p>.Akshardham attack: Gujarat POTA court discharges three accused.<p>In 2003, a fast track court in Junagadh had convicted him for voluntarily causing grievous hurt to the complainant "to extort confession" at Porbandar police station.</p><p>Two other subordinates of Khandwawala who had been convicted were deleted since they passed away during the pendency.</p><p>Khandwawala had served as Gujarat DGP between 2009 and 2010. After retirement, he joined a private firm before being appointed as chief of Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI)'s anti-corruption unit chief.</p><p>On October 7, 1976, a police team searched the house of the Merag Haja, a history sheeter, at Sutrej village in Keshod taluka of Junagadh district, looking for weapons. </p><p>Khandwawala, who was then a deputy superintendent of police, Junagadh, also came with the police team later in the day in search of weapons.</p><p>The team led by Khandwawala took him to Porbandar police station where Haja was alleged to have been tortured. Subsequently, Haja filed a private complaint with the court against Khandwawala and others. </p>