Corruption Case – Ahmedabad Constable Dies After Acquittal
Corruption Case – An Ahmedabad police constable who spent three decades fighting a corruption charge was finally cleared by the court, only to pass away a day after regaining his name and reputation.
Babubhai Prajapati, formerly posted in the Vejalpur area of Ahmedabad, had been accused in 1996 of accepting a bribe of Rs 20. The allegation led to a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, marking the beginning of a long and difficult legal struggle. What started as a minor accusation soon evolved into a case that would shadow him for the rest of his life.
A Case That Stretched Across Three Decades
The legal process moved slowly. A chargesheet was filed in 1997, and by 2002, formal charges were framed. Trial proceedings gathered pace in 2003 as witnesses were examined. In 2004, the Sessions Court convicted Prajapati along with two other constables who were implicated in the same case.
The conviction carried significant consequences. Though he remained in service, his career stalled. Promotions were withheld, and financial benefits were frozen. According to those close to him, much of his life became consumed by court appearances and legal consultations.
Unwilling to accept the verdict, Prajapati challenged the decision before the Gujarat High Court in 2004. What followed was an extended wait for justice.
High Court Finds Gaps in Prosecution’s Case
During the appeal, advocate Nitin Gandhi argued that there were major inconsistencies in witness statements and procedural shortcomings in the investigation. He maintained that the prosecution had not met the legal threshold required for conviction.
After years of pendency, the Gujarat High Court delivered its judgment on February 4, 2026. The court observed that the prosecution had failed to establish the charge beyond reasonable doubt and set aside the conviction. With that ruling, Babubhai Prajapati stood acquitted, exactly 30 years after the case first emerged.
For Prajapati, the decision marked the restoration of his dignity. He visited his lawyer’s office as a man cleared of wrongdoing, no longer bearing the label of a convicted officer.
Plans to Reclaim Service Benefits
Following the verdict, his counsel advised him to begin the process of claiming pending service dues and benefits that had remained on hold for years due to the conviction. The acquittal opened the door for administrative steps that could potentially restore what had been withheld.
Advocate Gandhi later told local media that Prajapati appeared relieved and content after hearing the judgment. According to him, the former constable expressed a sense of closure, saying that the burden he had carried for decades had finally lifted.
However, events took an unexpected turn.
Freedom Arrives, But Briefly
The morning after the acquittal, Babubhai Prajapati died of natural causes. His passing came just hours after the court cleared him of all charges.
Advocate Gandhi recalled that he had intended to meet Prajapati again to complete formalities related to service benefits. When he attempted to contact him the next day, he learned that his client had passed away.
The case itself originated from an Anti-Corruption Bureau trap conducted in 1997 near Vishala in the Vejalpur locality. Three constables were accused of taking bribes from truck drivers. All were convicted by the Sessions Court in 2004 and later filed appeals challenging the decision.
While the High Court’s ruling eventually cleared Prajapati of the allegation, the timing underscored the human cost of prolonged litigation. For him, legal vindication came after years of uncertainty and professional stagnation.
The case highlights the enduring impact that lengthy court proceedings can have on individuals and their families. Though the judicial system ultimately corrected the conviction, the outcome arrived at the very end of his life.
Babubhai Prajapati’s story stands as a reminder of how delayed justice can reshape an ordinary life in profound ways.