A tragic and shocking incident has come to light from Ahmedabad, where a police constable died just a day after being acquitted in a bribery case involving only Rs 20, ending a legal battle that lasted nearly 30 years.
The Gujarat High Court on February 4, 2026, acquitted Babubhai Prajapati, a constable from Vejalpur in Ahmedabad, clearing him of corruption charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The verdict finally removed the stigma that had followed him for decades.
STIGMA REMOVED, JUST WANT SALVATION, PRAJAPTI TOLD LAWYER
Following the verdict, Prajapati reportedly visited his lawyer’s office, where he emotionally expressed relief over finally being cleared. According to Advocate Nitin Gandhi, the constable said, “The stigma of my life has been removed, now I wish I may attain salvation.”
The lawyer advised him to apply for the government benefits that had been withheld due to the case. The conversation was reportedly captured on CCTV cameras installed in the lawyer’s office.
After returning home, Prajapati died the next day due to natural causes, bringing a heartbreaking end to his long struggle for justice.
PRAJAPATI WAS ACCUSED OF ACCEPTING RS 20 BRIBE IN 1996
Prajapati had been accused in 1996 of accepting a bribe of Rs 20. A charge sheet was filed in the Ahmedabad Sessions Court in 1997, while charges were framed in 2002. The trial began in 2003 and in 2004, the Sessions Court convicted him, sentencing him to four years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 3,000.
CHALLENGED CONVICTION IN HIGH COURT
He challenged the conviction in the Gujarat High Court the same year, where the appeal remained pending for years.
During the hearing, Prajapati’s lawyer, Advocate Nitin Gandhi, argued that there were major inconsistencies in witness statements and raised questions over the credibility of the prosecution’s case. The High Court accepted the arguments and acquitted him after almost three decades.
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