History-sheeter to be shifted to A’bad

Rajkot: A special court in Rajkot has ordered the shifting of dreaded history-sheetr Nikhil Donga, notorious for running a land grabbers gang, from Bhuj’s Palara jail to the high-security zone of Sabarmati jail following complaints that he was getting special facilities.
Donga and 14 members of his gang are facing charges under the stringent The Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime (GUJCTOC) Act and they were lodged in different jails of the state
Donga, who was locked in Palara jail, had managed to escape in 2021 when he was taken to the hospital. But the police arrested him in three days and sent him to the same jail. From the jail, Donga allegedly put out a social media post threatening a man and his son living in Gondal.
He was shifted to the Bhuj jail after being caught hosting a dinner party in the Gondal sub-jail in December 2020.
The investigation officer had moved an application before the special court hearing this case to shift Donga to the Sabarmati jail in Ahmedabad. The court sought a report from the Palara jailor and gave him a chance to be heard.
In his argument, Donga said that as per the government’s order, he won’t be allowed to be brought out of Palara jail, and his presence should be taken through video conferencing by the court. Thus, he should not be transferred, he submitted.
Special public prosecutor, SK Vora, argued that the accused is in judicial custody and not in the custody of the government. “The court had ordered to send him to Palara jail and the same court has the power to accede the investigation officer’s application and order his shifting. Donga can’t take the government’s order as his defence.”
After hearing both parties, principal district judge UT Desai ordered shifting Donga to the high-security zone of Sabarmati jail.