Sessions judge N T Solanki issued bailable warrants against Bhatt and four other police personnel who did not appear before the court which was to hear the case today.
Bhatt, who has filed an affidavit against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi alleging his role in 2002 riots, is fighting this case of custodial torture.
According to case details, one Prahbudas Vaishnani, who was arrested during a communal flare-up in Jamkhambhalia town in Jamnagar in 1990, died in a hospital few days after he was released from police custody.
Following this Vaishnani's brother Amrutlal had filed complaint against Bhatt and six others. The Gujarat government then took the position that Bhatt and others had acted while discharging their duty and filed a revision petition in the session court in 1996, halting the criminal proceedings.
This revision petition was withdrawn by the government in July last year, exposing Bhatt and others to prosecution. PTI Corr PD ABC
RAI