The Bombay High Court directed a trial court to frame charges of murder and disappearance of evidence against eight railway police personnel for the death of 25-year-old Agnelo Valdaris five years ago.
A division bench of the High Court comprising Justices BP Dharmadhikari and SS Jadhav directed the trial court which was hearing a petition filed by the father of Valdairs asking that the eight policemen attached to Wadala police be charged with murder.
The High Court bench said that there is enough prima facie evidence available to charge the police officials under section 302 and section 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for the disappearance of evidence.
The High Court further noted that the accused policemen sexually abused the victim and taunted the victim with casteist remarks.
Valdaris and three of his friends were detained by railway police for petty theft and was found dead on the railway tracks.
According to Valdaris’ father, his son was allegedly stripped while in the police custody, tortured and even forced to have oral sex with each other. He died on April 18, 2014, while others were released on bail on April 22. The Wadala police had claimed that he died while trying to escape from the police custody and was run over by a train.
All the eight policemen are out on bail. They were booked under section 338 (causing grievous hurt or endangering the life of another person) and 377 (unnatural sex) of the IPC.