Court orders medical examination of accused former RPF constable

Mumbai: A court here on Monday ordered medical examination of former Railway Protection Force constable Chetansinh Chaudhary, held for shooting dead his senior colleague and three passengers on a moving train.

Chaudhary (34) has sought bail citing mental health conditions.

The matter was listed for arguments on Monday, but instead of hearing arguments, Additional Sessions Judge (Dindoshi court) MH Pathan asked Thane prison authorities to get Chaudhary examined by the medical officer and submit a report by December 19.

Chaudhary, currently lodged in Thane jail, is accused of shooting dead his senior colleague, Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena, and three passengers on board Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express near Palghar railway station on July 31, 2023.

Chaudhary was nabbed with his weapon later while trying to flee. Passengers had pulled the chain of the train, which stopped near Mira Road station on Western Railway’s network.

In his bail plea through advocates Amit Mishra and Pankaj Ghildiyal, the accused claimed he was suffering from “white matter disease”, which refers to damage or degeneration of the brain’s white matter.

“The accused is suffering from extreme mental strokes, and he is a partial mental patient / mentally challenged who sometimes becomes whimsical and goes into the loop of illusions. The accused is suffering from delusional disorder. Whatever crime has occurred, the accused does not have any knowledge of the same,” the plea had said.

The prosecution, in its written response, has opposed the plea saying the charges against him were of serious nature with potential for death sentence.

The reply, filed through additional public prosecutor Sudhir Sapkale, stated that material witnesses are being examined and sufficient material has brought on record against the accused. It emphasised that bail at this juncture would prejudice the prosecution’s case.