Zahiruddin Shaikh's family protests outside Vejalpur police station after his death on May 20. (File Photo)The Gujarat Police has constituted a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the alleged custodial death of 70-year-old Zahiruddin Shaikh at Ahmedabad’s Vejalpur police station, days after the Supreme Court directed the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) and ordered an independent probe.The SIT has been constituted by Gujarat Director General of Police G S Malik in compliance with the Supreme Court’s July 23 order. The team will be headed by Superintendent of Police (CID Crime) Rohan Anand and comprise CID Crime Deputy SP P D Vala and CID Crime Police Inspector N H Siddiqui.The officers have been directed to take over the investigation immediately after the FIR is registered at the concerned police station and submit a final report before the jurisdictional magistrate in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directions.In a communication to the Ahmedabad police commissioner, the DGP has directed that an FIR be registered on charges of murder and abetment of suicide, in accordance with the Supreme Court order. The DGP’s direction also states that all necessary police assistance be extended to the SIT. Subsequently, the in-charge Ahmedabad City Commissioner of Police, Sharad Singhal, on July 31 instructed the concerned police station to “register the FIR without delay, transfer the case papers to the SIT and provide full cooperation to the investigating officers”.Also Read | Family of Gujarat man accused in cow-slaughter case protests his death in police custodyWhat the Supreme Court saidThe SIT was constituted following a July 23 Supreme Court order by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. The bench observed that there was a prima facie case for registration of an FIR after considering the submissions made by Senior Advocate I H Syed, appearing for the petitioner’s family.“We are satisfied that a prima facie case for registration of an FIR under Sections 103 and 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, without naming any suspects at this stage, is made out. Consequently, the said FIR shall be investigated by an Special Investigation Team, comprising of a police officer of the rank of deputy commissioner of police along with two more officers, to be nominated by the director general of police, Gujarat…”, the order states.The Supreme Court order further directed, “The members of the SIT must be those who are not posted in the district where the alleged occurrence took place. The SIT is directed to file the final report after investigation before the jurisdictional magistrate as early as possible, and preferably within two months.”Story continues below this adThe court also directed that, if the appellant remained dissatisfied after the investigation, he would be at liberty to file a protest petition before the jurisdictional magistrate seeking further investigation. It also directed the police commissioner to inquire into the family’s allegation of threat perception and take appropriate action in accordance with law.Also Read | The 100-day vigil: How custodial death case ended in state-ordered cremation‘Was forcibly given tablets’The Supreme Court’s intervention came on an appeal filed by Zahiruddin Shaikh’s son, Tofik, challenging the failure of the authorities to register a criminal case over his father’s death after he was taken into custody by the Vejalpur police.Shaikh was arrested on May 18 in connection with an alleged cow slaughter case registered by the Vejalpur police. His family has alleged in their petition that police personnel forcibly administered 30 to 40 tablets of prescription medicines to Shaikh, resulting in a fatal overdose on May 20. It also alleged that before his death, Shaikh made two dying declarations, one recorded in medico-legal papers at SVP Hospital and another in two videos allegedly recorded by the petitioner, in which he named police personnel and described the alleged assault.The Supreme Court’s directions came nearly two months after the Gujarat High Court declined to order registration of an FIR, holding that the petitioner must first exhaust the statutory remedies available under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. Even while dismissing the petition on May 29, the High Court had observed that it was “ironic” that an alleged violation of the Supreme Court’s Constitution bench judgment in Lalita Kumari vs Government of Uttar Pradesh on mandatory registration of FIRs in cognisable offences could not be directly enforced through a writ petition because of the doctrine of alternative statutory remedy.Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram