Mumbai: The family of Anuj Thapan, who was found dead in a lock-up after being arrested in the Salman Khan firing case, refused to accept his body and demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
As per a news agency's report, a postmortem examination was conducted on Thursday evening at the state-run JJ Hospital, revealing ligature marks on the neck and signs of asphyxia on Thapan's body. The detailed findings are yet to be disclosed. However, the next of the kin of the deceased alleged that the neck injury marks suggest murder rather than suicide.
As per sources, Thapan's two uncles and a cousin travelled from Punjab to Mumbai. The police showed them the body, after which they refused to accept it. The autopsy procedure, conducted in the presence of forensic doctors and videographed for documentation purposes, lasted from 4.15pm to around 5.15pm Thursday. The body has now been kept in the morgue.
Speaking to the news agency, one of the relatives said, “We were asked to claim the body. When the hospital staff showed us his face, we found ligature marks on the neck. Seeing these marks, we are clear he was murdered after being tortured.” He further said, “We will not accept the body till our demand (of CBI probe) is met. If it's accepted, then we will claim the body by tomorrow. The police personnel involved in the death must be punished.”
Thapan, along with his associate Sonu Bishnoi, was apprehended from Punjab on April 26 on charges of supplying firearms and ammunition for the April 14 firing incident. He was found hanging in the lock-up toilet of the Crime Branch at the Commissionerate Complex in Crawford Market on Wednesday. Police reports said that he used a bedsheet to take the extreme step. Thapan's lawyer, Ami Mishra, said, “The police only showed them (Thapan's family) his face and neck. This is the first time Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) has been invoked against a poor family.”
Four people, including Thapan, Sonu Bishnoi and alleged shooters Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, have been arrested in connection with the case. Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi are listed as wanted accused. All of them have been charged under stringent MCOCA.
