Ahmedabad: Retd DySP, family members denied bail in Nehrunagar firing case

Ahmedabad: A city sessions court on Wednesday denied bail to retired DySP Ashoksinh Chauhan, his son Siddharaj and daughter Khyati in connection with the former cop opening fire from his licensed gun over a land dispute in Nehrunagar last week.

The trio has been charged with attempt to murder and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) after a complaint was lodged with Satellite police station. The FIR stated that Chauhan allegedly fired multiple rounds from his licensed pistol during a confrontation with members of a partnership firm operating the Nehrunagar Patharanaa Bazar.

The complainant, businessman Amit Patel, alleged that Chauhan and his family were upset over an ongoing civil dispute concerning a five-bigha parcel of land near the Nehrunagar bus stand.

Chauhan and his children sought regular bail, claiming innocence. Chauhan submitted that he has been framed in the case. He said he learned about the encroachment on their land and was compelled to open fire in self-defence and to protect his children.

Public prosecutor Sudhir Brahmbhatt opposed the bail pleas. Similarly, the complainant’s lawyer too opposed the pleas and drew the court’s attention to the allegation that of the five rounds, two were fired at him.

After the hearing, the court said that the applicant faces a serious allegation of having fired five rounds from his licensed pistol, which warrants careful consideration at this stage. Although he asserts that he acted in self-defence to protect his family and fired on the ground, the complainant contends that two of the five shots were directed at him. Additional sessions judge J I Patel said, “Thus the allegations made against the applicant require to be viewed seriously at this preliminary stage i.e. while deciding the bail application.”