Somnath Suryavanshi custodial death case: After court nudge, FIR against unidentified person

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: An unidentified person was booked on Saturday in connection with the custodial death of Somnath Suryavanshi in Maharashtra's Parbhani district, an official said.

The 35-year-old law student died in judicial custody on December 15, 2024 after being arrested in connection with the violent protests that broke out there after a miscreant vandalised a replica of the Constitution.

The FIR under section 103 (1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (murder) was registered at Mondha police station in Parbhani on the orders of the court, the official said.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the order of the Bombay High Court to register an FIR in the Somnath Suryavanshi custodial death case, he said.

"The case was registered on the complaint of Somnath's mother Vijayabai Suryavanshi. As per her complaint, she got a call on December 15 informing that her son had died of a heart attack. While on her way to Parbhani, she was told the body had been shifted to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar," he said.

As per the FIR, personnel at the Parbhani Superintendent of Police's office told her Somnath had died of a heart attack and not due to torture. They also tried to persuade her to claim the body.

However, Vijayabai blamed Pondha police for the death since those around her informed that Somnath was beaten up, a fact they said had appeared in the post mortem report.

Vijayabai had moved the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay HC, seeking action against the police officers.

The HC had ordered police to register a First Information Report within a week on July 4.