Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has issued notice to the Maharashtra government on a plea filed by Vijayabai Suryawanshi, mother of 24-year-old law student Somnath Suryawanshi, who died on December 15, 2024, while under judicial custody in a state-run hospital in Parbhani. Alleging custodial brutality by the police, the petitioner has sought an independent, court-monitored investigation into her son’s death.
A division bench of the Aurangabad bench directed the State to file a reply and produce the final postmortem report on the next date of hearing, April 29. “If the final report of post mortem of deceased Somnath Suryawanshi is received, then the State to provide a copy of the same to the petitioner,” the court said in its order on Tuesday.
Representing the mother, advocates Prakash Ambedkar, Sandesh More, and Hitendra Gandhi reiterated the demand for an independent probe and prosecution of all officials responsible for the alleged custodial torture and death.
The petition states that Somnath had traveled to Parbhani to appear for his final-year law examination when he was picked up during a police operation following communal unrest. According to the plea, a far-right group, Hindu Sakal Samaj Morcha, had organised a protest near Shivaji Chowk on December 10, 2024, against alleged atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh. During this gathering, a replica of the Constitution placed near a statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was vandalised, sparking widespread protests and unrest.
Following this, the police imposed prohibitory orders and conducted combing operations, arresting over 50 young men and women, including Somnath. The petition alleges the detainees were “severely assaulted, abused and threatened in police custody” and booked under serious charges. At least 23 victims from marginalised communities later filed separate complaints detailing custodial abuse.
The petition highlights that Somnath sustained multiple injuries while in custody and died within hours of being admitted to a government hospital after being sent to judicial custody. The preliminary postmortem report cited “shock due to multiple injuries” as the cause of death.
Vijayabai alleged that a police officer, Ashok Ghorband, offered her Rs 50 lakh to not pursue a police complaint. “Given the events and the behaviour of certain police officers and staff, their deep-rooted caste-based hatred was openly visible,” the petition said. It has urged the court to suspend the involved officers, make public the magisterial inquiry report, and initiate an FIR against those responsible.
