Mumbai, March 26 A Mumbai court has directed prison authorities to once again transfer former RPF constable Chetan Singh Choudhary, who is accused of killing four people on a train in 2023, to the Thane mental hospital and submit a report on his mental health, with a specific opinion on whether he is fit to stand trial.
Notably, Choudhary was previously admitted to the Regional Mental Hospital, Thane, between February 20, 2023 and July 12, 2023.
His medical report, submitted by the Thane jail, where the accused is being held, to the court in January this year, stated that Choudhary's condition was found to be "hemodynamically stable" during the examination conducted on December 18, 2022.
The report stated that his physical vitals, including blood pressure, were within normal ranges, and his central nervous system showed no immediate abnormalities.
The fresh direction by Additional Sessions Judge (Dindoshi court) Pravin Chatur came in the wake of a bail plea filed by the accused, citing his mental health condition. In his bail plea, through advocates Amit Mishra and Pankaj Ghildiyal, the accused claimed he was suffering from "white matter disease".
While his bail plea hasn't been decided yet, the court ordered the jail superintendent to refer and admit Choudhary to the Thane Mental Hospital for better management, care, and treatment until further orders.
The court asked the medical officer of the Thane Mental Hospital to submit periodic reports every 15 days regarding the treatment and mental health of the accused.
It sought a "specific opinion as to whether he is fit or unfit to stand trial and capable of conducting his defence".
The trial in the case is currently at the stage of recording witness testimony.
Choudhary is accused of shooting dead his senior colleague, Railway Protection Force Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena, and three passengers on board the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express near Palghar railway station in Maharashtra on July 31, 2023.
Choudhary was apprehended with his weapon later while trying to flee after passengers pulled the train's chain, which stopped near Mira Road station.
