Archive · 21 Jul 2026
Gujarat High Court questions prosecutor changes in custodial death case
The Gujarat High Court is upset because the state government keeps changing the lawyer in charge of a case about a man who died in police custody.
The court thinks this is making the trial take longer.
The victim's son is also upset and says the changes are unfair.
The court wants the state to decide quickly about who should be the lawyer, or it might make its own decision.
The case is about a man from Telangana who disappeared after being taken by the police in 2019, and eight police officers are being tried for his death.
The Gujarat High Court questioned the State government's repeated changes of the Special Public Prosecutor in the custodial death case of Telangana migrant worker Shaikh Babu Nisar.
The court observed that changing prosecutors at an advanced stage of the trial is delaying the proceedings.
The victim's son, Salim Nisar, filed a petition challenging the Home Department's decision to discontinue S I Ghariya as Special Public Prosecutor.
The court noted that Ghariya had made significant progress in the trial, with the record running into 3,500 pages and only about 25 material witnesses remaining to be examined.
The court warned the State against further delay and asked for a decision on the Special Public Prosecutor by the following week.
- Who
- Shaikh Babu Nisar (victim), Salim Nisar (petitioner), S I Ghariya (Special Public Prosecutor), Gujarat High Court
- What
- Gujarat High Court questions repeated changes of prosecutor in the custodial death case of Telangana migrant worker Shaikh Babu Nisar.
- When
- The hearing took place on Tuesday, with a decision expected by the following week.
- Where
- Gujarat High Court
- Why
- The court is concerned about the delay in the trial proceedings due to repeated changes in the Special Public Prosecutor.
Petitioner's View
State's View
Prosecutor Change
Petitioner's View
The repeated changes in the Special Public Prosecutor are arbitrary and prejudicial to the prosecution, especially at an advanced stage of the trial.
State's View
The State has the right to change the prosecutor based on administrative decisions and personal reasons of the appointed advocate.
Trial Progress
Petitioner's View
The trial had made good progress under Ghariya, and changing prosecutors at this stage will only delay the proceedings.
State's View
The State is seeking to ensure the trial progresses efficiently, and the change in prosecutor is part of that process.
- Victim
- Shaikh Babu Nisar
- Petitioner
- Salim Nisar (son of the victim)
- Special Public Prosecutor
- S I Ghariya
- Case Details
- Alleged custodial death of a Telangana migrant worker in December 2019
- Current Status
- Trial ongoing, with about 25 material witnesses remaining to be examined
- Court's Warning
- The Gujarat High Court warned the State against further delay in deciding on the Special Public Prosecutor.