Overview

• The apex court dismissed the Maharashtra government’s challenge to the Bombay High Court’s July 4 directive mandating FIR registration in the custodial death case.
• Just days after the HC order, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that authorities must file the FIR within one week or face potential contempt action.
• The original HC order was based on a post-mortem and magisterial inquiry concluding Suryawanshi died from “shock following multiple injuries,” signaling custodial torture.
• The state had argued the HC directive was premature pending a CID probe and a JJ Hospital expert report citing natural causes.
• Dalit rights activists led by Prakash Ambedkar and Suryawanshi’s mother hailed the verdict as a crucial step toward accountability in custodial death investigations.