‘Untraced’ in case for 11 yrs,cop heads police station

In 1996,according to the prosecution,a police team led by Gautam raided the house of Jabar Singh at Bahadurpur village in Adampur in connection with a motorcycle theft case. The policemen tried to take Jabar Singh with them but his family resisted. The family members,including Jabar’s wife Sheela Singh,entered into a heated argument with the policemen. In the melee that ensued,Sheela Singh’s two-year-old son fell from her hands. The injured child was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead. Irked,the residents protested and gheraoed the area.

Sheela requested the police to register a case against the cops who had raided their house. An FIR was later lodged against four cops including Gautam on July 23,1996 at the Civil Lines police station in Moradabad. Jyotiba Phule Nagar was part of Moradabad at that time. It became a separate district on April 24,1997.

The investigating officer failed to collect evidence against the cops and filed a chargesheet in the court on October 16,1996. The complainant filed an objection on February 12,1998.

“After the objection was filed,summons was sent to all four cops. When they did not appear in April 1998,bailable warrants were issued and later,on August 26,1998,non-bailable warrants were issued,” Assistant Prosecuting Officer,AK Mishra said. The warrants were never executed.

Gautam claimed he was not aware about the development of the case. “We became victims of dharna politics. Jabar Singh was a member of a vehicle lifting gang. His child was probably unwell and died in due course. We were wrongly blamed for the child’s death. We did not misbehave with Jabar’s family either,” Gautam said. He said he believed the case was closed.

Superintendent of Police,Jyotiba Phule Nagar,Prashant Kumar said,“I am not aware of it. I will check out the details with the court”.