Somnath Suryavanshi case: Prakash Ambedkar cites ‘gaps’ in law, says only govt or court can fix it

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Feb 4 (PTI) Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar on Wednesday pointed to what he called “gaps” in the law in connection with matters like the Somnath Suryavanshi custodial death case and said only the court or the government can fix them.

Ambedkar, who is representing Suryavanshi’s family, was speaking to reporters outside the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court here after a hearing in the custodial death case.

Suryavanshi, a law student, died in judicial custody on December 15, 2024, after being arrested in connection with violent protests that broke out in Maharashtra’s Parbhani after a replica of the Constitution held by the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar was vandalised.

The law does not clearly specify what steps must be taken after a magistrate completes an inquiry into a custodial death, said Ambedkar. Neither the central nor the state government has so far introduced the necessary amendments or corrections to address this gap, he said.

During the hearing, he said, affidavits were filed on behalf of the police department and the Chief Secretary of the Home Department.

Ambedkar said that the officials currently summoned have only implementation powers and no authority to take policy decisions. Therefore, to ensure justice for Somnath Suryavanshi, the court should either fill the legal gaps itself or ask whether the government intends to complete this “incomplete” law.

He said the court will hear the matter next on Thursday. PTI AW NR