Mumbai: Chetan Singh Chaudhary, the former Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable facing trial for the murder of his senior officer and three identifiably Muslim passengers aboard the Jaipur Mumbai Central Superfast Express in July 2023, has been found to be “stable” by the doctors who examined him last month.
The authorities of the Thane Central Jail have submitted his medical report to the Dindoshi sessions court, where he is currently facing trial.
Chaudhary’s lawyers had applied for bail in November, claiming he had had a “panic mental attack” in jail and had to be admitted to the Regional Mental Hospital, Thane. They also contended that he was suffering from “extreme mental strokes” and needed his family’s love and care. They argued that circumstances had changed since his earlier bail plea was rejected in December 2023. Then, too, the grounds for asking for bail were mental instability.
The public prosecutor and the intervenor in the case opposed the bail application, pointing out that the mental hospital had discharged him after finding him to be “cooperative, communicative, [and] oriented to time, place and person”. However, additional sessions judge MH Pathan ordered the Thane Central Jail, where he is lodged, to have him medically examined and submit the report to the court.
Following the court’s order, Chaudhary was examined at the Thane prison hospital on December 18. According to the hospital’s report, he was found to be “hemodynamically stable”, indicating that all his physical parameters were normal.
The report noted that Chaudhary had undergone treatment at the Thane mental hospital last year and that his treatment has since been continued at the prison hospital in accordance with the mental hospital’s instructions. The report was signed by the chief medical officer of the prison.
Since the trial began in November 2024, 15 prosecution witnesses have been examined to date, including passengers on the train. However, no witnesses have been examined since the court ordered the medical evaluation. Last week, judge Pathan was transferred to another court, as a result of which the trial continues to be at a standstill.
Chaudhary is accused of shooting dead his senior colleague, assistant sub-inspector Tikaram Meena, and three Muslim passengers on board the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express. He was arrested with the murder weapon while allegedly attempting to flee after passengers pulled the emergency chain and stopped the train near Mira Road station.