After 24 years, 3 get life term for Noida Police chief Laxmi Singh's father's murder

A special CBI court in Lucknow on Tuesday sentenced three men to life imprisonment in the 2002 murder case of advocate Indra Dev Singh, former president of the Lucknow Bar Association and father of Noida Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh.

Special CBI Judge Vayu Nandan Mishra awarded life sentences to Vikram Yadav alias Kalia, Panna Singh and Brajesh Kumar Yadav alias Munna after convicting them of murder and criminal conspiracy. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on each of the three convicts.

The court had convicted the accused on June 30 and pronounced the sentence on Tuesday, nearly 24 years after the murder.

According to the prosecution, Indra Dev Singh was shot dead on August 8, 2002, in Lucknow's Kaiserbagh area while returning home from court on his scooter. The FIR was lodged by his wife, Nayantara.

The CBI investigation found that Vikram Yadav, who was the shooter, fired the fatal shots with a 12-bore country-made pistol. The murder was linked to a dispute over land plotting in Lucknow's Madiyanv area. Investigators alleged that Brajesh Kumar rode the scooter used in the attack, while Panna Singh was part of the conspiracy.

Six people were chargesheeted by the CBI in the case. However, three accused – Mannalal Gupta, Ved Prakash alias Neta and Chhotelal alias Chhotu – died during the pendency of the trial.

Following the conviction, the court cancelled the bail of Panna Singh and Brajesh Kumar and sent them to jail. Vikram Yadav was already lodged in prison.

The case was initially investigated by the Uttar Pradesh Police before being handed over to the CBI, which later filed a chargesheet against six accused.

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