KEM hospital.

NEARLY THREE months after the custodial death of 26-year-old Vijay Singh, police are yet to conclude if police officers at Wadala Truck Terminal (TT) police station had any role in the death. While the police say the reason for the delay is that KEM hospital has not sent them the final postmortem report in spite of five reminders, doctors at the hospital said the report is ready since a week.

While the crime branch has received the postmortem report from JJ hospital mentioning the cause of death as myocardial infarction (heart attack), the police are awaiting the final report from KEM forensic department to conclude their inquiry.

A senior officer said they have recorded statements of several people and currently their investigation awaits the final postmortem report from KEM hospital. “We have sent five reminders to the hospital but they have not responded yet. The last letter was sent on February 2,” a senior officer said.

Dr Harish Pathak, head of forensics, KEM hospital, however, said, “The report is ready since a week. Earlier we were not happy with the sample they sent and hence there was a bit of delay. I will contact the investigating officer and ask him to collect the report.”

An officer said once they receive the report they should be able to conclude the inquiry soon. Apart from the police investigation, a magisterial inquiry is also being conducted by the Bhoiwada magistrate court and another inquiry by the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission. In addition to that, Singh’s father has also filed a write petition before the Bombay High Court and the matter will next be heard on February 24.

Singh, a Sion resident, died on October 27 last year at Wadala TT police station. He was taken to the police station after he had a tiff with a couple at a spot near his residence where he was parking his bike at night. It was found that the CCTV cameras at the police station were not functional. Five policemen from the Wadala TT police station were suspended. Later, as per procedure, the crime branch started investigating the case. Even as unit 4 was investigating the case, the state government in the winter session directed that an SIT be formed to investigate the case.

Accordingly, an SIT headed by Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Karnik and comprising of DCP Shahaji Umap, ACP Netaji Bhopale, inspectors Ninad Sawant and Jagdish Bhambal began investigating the case.