Una Dalit case: 'Upper caste' accused can tamper with witnesses if granted bail, says police

Opposing the bail pleas of three key accused in the 2016 Una Dalit flogging case, arrested again last week for threatening two of the Dalit victims for striking a compromise, the Gujarat police has told a local court that if the accused from the "upper caste" were granted bail they could temper with the complainant and witnesses and turn them hostile by giving them "tempting offers" or with "threats in future."

The police in an affidavit opposed the bail applications of Pramodgiri Goswami, Balwant Goswami and Shailesh Bhambhaniya, all residents of Una, Gir Somnath district. They were arrested on November 14 for threatening Vasram Sarvaiya and his cousin Ashok to strike a compromise. Pramod and Balwant are among 40 accused who had flogged and paraded the Sarvaiya family including Vasram and Ashok in 2016 for skinning a dead cow.

In July this year, Pramod, Balwant and Shailesh were granted bail by Gujarat high court, six years after their arrest, on the condition that they wouldn't enter Devbhumi Dwarka, attempt to tamper with witnesses among other conditions. On November 14, the three accused stopped Vasram and Ashok near Shivaji Park in Una town. FIR states that the accused persons "threatened" the Sarvaiyas for a "compromise and hurled casteist abuses."

The affidavit filed by deputy superintendent of police, H S Chaudhary, incharge SC/ST cell, Gir Somnath district police, before Una district court, stated that the accused told the complainant, "Have you forgotten the beating, you remember it or else will end your life by any means." The affidavit states that the accused insulted the complainant Sarvaiya and threatened him for his life.

In 2016, Sarvaiyas were stripped, beaten up, and paraded in full public view in Una town for skinning a dead cow, which had been killed by an Asiatic lioness. The group of about 40 self-proclaimed cow vigilantes were arrested following the national uproar. The trial of the case is still lingering with the court. As of today, about 89 witnesses have been examined.

Over the last six years, the Sarvaiyas have left their traditional occupation of skinning cows and converted to Buddhism. Vasram Sarvaiya, in 2020, wrote a letter to the President requesting to be deported to a country where they don't face caste discrimination. He said that he and his other victim brothers couldn't find any other occupation to live a normal life.