The Supreme Court has rejected the bail and sentence suspension plea filed by former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who is serving a life sentence in a 1990 custodial death case. The Court, while declining interim relief, assured that his appeal would be heard on an expedited basis.

Bhatt was convicted for his alleged involvement in the custodial death of Prabhudas Vaishnani, who died shortly after being released from police custody. The conviction was handed down by a Jamnagar Sessions Court and subsequently upheld by the Gujarat High Court. Bhatt later approached the Supreme Court, seeking relief.

The case dates back to 1990 when Bhatt, then Additional Superintendent of Police in Jamnagar, detained more than 130 individuals under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) following communal unrest tied to political protests. Among those detained was Vaishnani, who allegedly suffered custodial torture and died soon after his release, leading to a criminal case against Bhatt and other officers.

During the Supreme Court proceedings, Bhatt’s counsel sought bail on the grounds of prolonged incarceration and the pendency of his appeal. The Gujarat government, however, opposed the plea, highlighting the serious nature of the charges and the circumstances of the custodial death.

Dismissing the request, the Court observed, “We are not inclined to grant Sanjiv Bhatt bail. The prayer for bail is dismissed, but the hearing of the appeal will be expedited.”

With this order, the Court has prioritized the appeal while firmly declining to suspend Bhatt’s sentence, signalling its intent to resolve the matter swiftly without compromising on the seriousness of the conviction.