32 yrs on, 3 cops jailed for framing U’khand statehood protesters

Agra: A special CBI court in Muzaffarnagar on Tuesday convicted three UP police personnel for criminal conspiracy and providing false evidence to implicate the protesters of Uttarakhand statehood movement under Arms Act in the 1994 Rampur Tiraha case.

The three convicts were sentenced to one-and-a-half years’ in jail along with a fine of Rs 5,000 each.CBI public prosecutor Dhara Singh said, “The court observed that when police officers themselves conspire to frame innocent citizens and fabricate evidence, the offence is committed not only against individuals but also against the justice system. The state’s constitutional duty is to protect its citizens.”Special CBI judge and additional chief judicial magistrate Dr DS Faujdar held sub-inspector Brajkishore and constables Anil Kumar (both retired), and Umesh Chand (to retire after about five years) guilty under IPC sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 182 (providing false information to a public servant), 211 (instituting false criminal proceedings) and 218 (preparing incorrect public records) along with section 25 of Arms Act.

Constable Kamal Kishore, a co-accused, died during the trial.According to the prosecution, the case stemmed from the aftermath of the Rampur Tiraha incident on the intervening night of Oct 1 and 2 when the statehood activists travelling to Delhi for a protest were intercepted in Muzaffarnagar. Subsequent heavy baton charges and police firing left at least six dead and many injured. The incident led to allegations of sexual assault against several women, including minors.

Later, six criminal cases were registered at Chhapar police station against the cops.Notably, following directions of Allahabad High Court in the case filed by the Uttarakhand Sangharsh Samiti, CBI probed multiple cases, including four FIRs registered under the Arms Act.During trial, prosecution said the accused cops falsely claimed to have recovered country-made pistols, spent cartridges and ‘khukri’ from Uttarakhand Roadways buses.

CBI probe concluded that the “recoveries had been fabricated to implicate innocent protesters”.After evaluating the evidence and witness testimonies, the court ruled that prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had entered into a criminal conspiracy to “frame innocent persons”.In another Rampur Tiraha case, a Muzaffarnagar court had sentenced two retired UP Police constables -- Milap Singh and Virendra Pratap -- to life imprisonment in 2024 for the gang rape of a protester. The woman was travelling to Delhi for the statehood agitation when she was assaulted.