Mumbai-Jaipur Train Firing Case: Judicial Custody Of Chetan Singh Extended For 14 Days; Eyewitness Testimony Postponed

Mumbai: The judicial custody of Chetan Singh, the accused in the Mumbai-Jaipur firing case, has been extended for 14 days. He is alleged to have shot and killed his senior colleague and three passengers on a running Jaipur-Mumbai Express near Palghar Railway station in Maharashtra. Head constable Narendra Parmar appeared in court on August 25 as an eyewitness for statement recording, but the court adjourned the proceedings until Monday, August 28. On August 24, the complainant and eyewitness Amey Achary recorded his statement in the Borivali Magistrate court.

Tragic July 31st incident

On July 31, 2023, around 5 am, on the Mumbai Central - Jaipur Superfast Express train during its journey from Jaipur to Mumbai, Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Singh (33) discharged a firearm, resulting in the deaths of four individuals, including Assistant Sub-Inspector Tikaram Meena (57). The other victims were passengers Abdul Kadarbhai Mohammad Hussain Bhanpurwala (62), a resident of Nalasopara in Palghar, Asgar Abbas Sheikh (48), a resident of Madhubani in Bihar, and Syed Saifullah (43), a resident of Hyderabad, all shot dead by Chetan Singh.

Following the incident, the Government Railway Police promptly arrested Chetan Singh and filed a case against him under various sections. The charges included section 302 (murder) of the IPC Act, sections 3 (carry any firearms), 25 (carries prohibited arms), 27 (using arms) of the Arms Act, along with sections 151 (explosive substance), 152 (unlawfully throws or causes to fall or strike), and 153 (unlawful act) of the Railway Act.

Chetan Singh was subsequently suspended from his job by the Railway and is currently in Thane Central Jail. He was sentenced to 14 days in judicial custody last week after a Mumbai court declined to prolong his police custody. A magistrate's court rejected the Government Railway Police's (GRP) plea to conduct narco analysis, brain mapping, and a polygraph test on Chetan Singh.

In a recent development, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Selvi v. State of Karnataka that the use of narco-analysis, brain mapping, and polygraph tests on accused individuals, suspects, and witnesses without their consent is unconstitutional and violates the 'right to privacy'.