Bombay HC orders state to pay compensation to father for police inaction in son’s suicide case | Mumbai News

Mumbai: Bombay HC has ordered the state government to pay Rs 20,000 to a father who had to run from pillar to post to register an FIR in connection with his son’s death committed suicide despite the judge calling the police.
“We find it extremely disturbing that despite a judge’s order issued in June directing registration of an FIR, no FIR has been registered by Police RAK Marg station without any valid reason… The petitioner was forced to file the petition,” a bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan said on November 19.
Resident of Bengaluru Anilkumar Sapare asked the HC to direct the senior inspector to follow the order of the magistrate. His appeal states that his son Abhinav, who lived in Sewri, died by suicide on January 6 due to the alleged instigation of four people. Sapare asked the RAK Marg police several times to register an FIR, but he gave his explanation in vain. On April 5, he asked the police to produce an investigation report and footage from CCTV cameras installed in Abhinav’s office from December 27, 2023 to January 5, which he said would show how his son was harassed. No details were given to him.
Sapare then approached the 13th Metropolitan Magistrate, who on June 22 ordered the police to register an FIR and submit a report after investigation. His lawyer said that despite the magistrate’s order being forwarded to the police, no steps were taken to register an FIR.
When the judges questioned Senior Inspector Sandip Randive on whether he was aware of the case and the magistrate’s order, “he revealed to us that he only came to know about the case and the judge’s order (that day) after going through the documents.” Randive said the FIR will be lodged by November 21 at the latest.
“Considering the manner in which the petitioner was forced to run from pillar to post,” the HC directed the government “to pay costs of Rs 20,000 to the petitioner within four weeks.” To establish liability for the delay, the DCP (Zone 4) was ordered to initiate a departmental inquiry and “accordingly recover costs of Rs 20,000 from the salary of the person(s) responsible.”