THE 2002 CUSTODIAL DEATH CASE

Khwaja Yunus, a software engineer working in Dubai, was picked from Parbhani in Marathwada in connection with a December 2, 2002, bomb blast in Ghatkopar railway station which claimed two lives

The prosecution alleged that Yunus was tortured in jail and this led to his death in the police custody

The police team claimed he escaped after the vehicle in which he was being transported met with an accident near Aurangabad in January 2003

court, the investigation was transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID). CID concluded Yunus had died in custody and booked Vaze and the constables for murder and destruction of evidence.

Vaze joined Shiv Sena after resigning in 2007, following his repeated requests for reinstatement being rejected by the government. Despite his resignation, Vaze was promoted to the rank of police inspector in December 2009. On Saturday, Vaze responded to HT’S queries about his reinstatement with a smiley and folded hand emoticon.

The state CID had booked former encounter specialist, Sachin Vaze, and three more policemen on charges of murder, fabrication of evidence and falsely stating that Yunus had escaped from custody

Vaze was suspended in 2004 after he and others were charged with murder He resigned from the police force on November 30, 2007 In 2008, a 1,000-page chargesheet was filed against them The trial in the case is pending.

When asked if a police officer can be reinstated pending trial, additional chief secretary (home) Sanjay Kumar said, “For a specific answer, I need to check the file. In most cases, trials continue while a department enquiry is closed.” Kumar said he was not aware of Vaze’s reinstatement as he has been out of town. Senior counsel Mihir Desai, representing Yunus’s family, said, “This is nothing but a mockery of justice. There cannot be any valid justification, especially when the trial is pending and the cops are prosecuted by the government itself,” he said.

MIRA ROAD DOUBLE MURDER