A clerk involved in the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) document leak case, Nishit Jani, aged 54, passed away while receiving treatment at Civil Hospital in Asarwa late Monday night. Jani had been in Sabarmati Central Jail as an undertrial since September 19, following his arrest in connection with the case earlier this month. Authorities reported that he had a prior respiratory illness and experienced severe breathing difficulties around 9:45 PM. Despite being transferred to the hospital under police escort, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The jail authorities filed an accidental death report with the Ranip police, indicating that Jani’s body would remain at the hospital while inquest and postmortem procedures were initiated. He was one of several individuals accused of leaking sensitive GMB documents, including tender and port-related papers. The case, which also implicates journalist Mahesh Langa and others, involves allegations of conspiracy and misuse of official positions, as per the FIR lodged by a Class 1 GMB officer in October 2024.
During the investigation, police reportedly discovered GMB documents at Langa’s residence, leading to further inquiries against both him and an unidentified GMB employee. Jani had been in judicial custody for ten days before his health deteriorated. While there were existing health complications noted in jail records, the exact cause of death will only be confirmed after the autopsy results are released.
