Sambhal court directs FIR against 13 cops for fake encounter; police say ‘will challenge order’

A local court here has directed FIR registration against a former station house officer and 12 other police personnel for stating that a man was arrested after an encounter in a robbery case, even though he was lodged in jail at the time.

Police, meanwhile, said they will challenge the order.

According to Sukant Kumar, the counsel who appeared for the petitioner, Omveer, “Chandausi Chief Judicial Magistrate Vibhanshu Sudhir passed the order on December 24 on a plea filed by Omveer, who alleged that Bahjoi Police falsely implicated him in a robbery case and showed that he was arrested after an encounter.”

“A complaint was filed reporting that ₹1 lakh was robbed from a bag on April 25, 2022, from an area under Bahjoi police station limits. An FIR was registered in the case on the same day. During investigation, on July 7, 2022, the police allegedly staged an encounter and showed recovery of 19 motorcycles and the looted amount. They arrested Omveer and two others — Dhirendra and Avneesh — in connection with the case,” Mr. Kumar said.

However, Omveer claimed that he was lodged in Budaun jail from April 11, 2022, and was released only on May 12 that year, making it impossible for him to have committed the robbery on April 25. The plea alleged that despite this, he was charge-sheeted and sent to jail in the case.

The court has ordered registration of an FIR within three days against the then Bahjoi station House Officer Pankaj Lavania; Crime Inspector Rahul Chauhan; Sub-Inspectors Prabodh Kumar, Naresh Kumar, Neeraj Kumar and Jameel Ahmad; Constables Varun, Ayush, Rajpal, Malti Chauhan and Deepak Kumar; Head Constable Roop Chandra and another personnel, Durvesh.

The court granted relief to then circle officer Gopal Singh, while the complainant said he would pursue further legal action against him.

Omveer told reporters that he had complained to the superintendent of police and other senior officers about the alleged fake encounter, but no action was taken, and the court’s order came as a relief.

Meanwhile, Bahjoi Circle Officer Pradeep Kumar Singh told PTIBhasha that police have not yet received the court order. “We have come to know about it through the media,” he said.

Sambhal Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar said the police “would not register an FIR” and “would challenge the court order.”