Gujarat flogging case: Police officers urge High Court to not punish them

Four police officers, who were charged with contempt of court for publicly flogging five Muslim men in October 2022, urged the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday to consider not punishing them and instead giving appropriate compensation to the complainants, Bar and Bench reported.

Senior Advocate Prakash Jani, representing the four accused, asked the bench of Justices AS Supehia and Gita Gopi to consider the impact on the police officers’ service record.

“We have given over 10 to 15 years of service to the state police,” Jani told the bench. “In the instant proceedings, ultimately, if the court holds us guilty, we urge you to please do not punish us as it will have a huge impact on our service records. We urge you to please consider ordering compensation to the complainants.”

The accused police officials are Inspector AV Parmar, sub-inspector DB Kumavat, constable Rajubhai Rameshbhai Dabhi and head constable Kanaksinh Laxmansinh.

The court sought a response from the complainants and posted the matter for Monday.

In October 2022, a group of Muslim men allegedly threw stones at a garba site near a mosque at Undhela village of Kheda district. The following day, five Muslims accused of being involved in the incident – Jahirmiya Malek, Maksudabanu Malek, Sahadmiya Malek, Sakilmiya Malek and Shahidraja Malek – were...

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