AHMEDABAD, May 14: ``Our Constitution is only for white collar criminals. No one has the strength to reduce even a single star from the three on my uniform. Maximum which they could do is to get me transferred, but despite this fact, I will not leave you.''

These are allegedly words spoken by police inspector S G Chaudhary, prime accused in the custodial death of Yogesh Patel, against whom a case filed by Alembic, Vadodara, was being investigated. (Quoted from the petition of Patel's widow). ``Sir, I have left everything to God Almighty. Anything which might happen in future would be as God has destined for me.'' This is an excerpt from the notes that Patel wrote to his advocate after every round of interrogation by Chaudhary, allegedly in the presence of Alembic officials.

The Gujarat High Court on May 6 directed the State govt to pay Rs 3 lakh in interim compensation to Jagruti, Patel's widow, and ordered that the case be investigated by a competent officer with legal authority. The compensation is to be paid within two months. Besides, the court awarded Rs 15,000 in costs.

Justice N N Mathur directed additional director-general of police, and director, Anti-Corruption Bureau to take appropriate steps for registering a case from the facts of the petition and from other material, including the inquiry report submitted by the sub-divisional magistrate.Yogesh went back to his native Hubli and the Karnataka High Court granted him anticipatory bail for a brief period on January 2, 1996. On January 22, 1996, he obtained anticipatory bail.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.