Sambhal Court Orders FIR Against 12 Police Officers for Fake Encounter Arrest

In a shocking revelation of police misconduct in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, a court has ordered the registration of an FIR against 12 police personnel for allegedly staging a fake encounter to claim the arrest of a man already in jail.

The case dates back to April 25, 2022, when milk vendor Durvesh was reportedly robbed of ₹1 lakh. Police initially claimed that Omveer and Rishipal were arrested in connection with the robbery during an encounter. However, it was later revealed that Omveer had been incarcerated in Badaun jail from April 11 to May 12, 2022, making his alleged arrest in the robbery case impossible.

During the court proceedings, it was found that police had conspired to present a staged encounter on July 7, 2022, and falsely reported the recovery of 19 motorcycles to implicate Omveer in the robbery. After complaints to higher authorities yielded no action, Omveer approached the court for justice.

The court examined affidavits, remand and bail orders, copies of FIRs, and other official records, stating that criminal acts committed through abuse of official position cannot be legally protected. While the court did not find prima facie evidence against the then CO of Bahjoi, Gopal Singh, it found sufficient grounds against other police officials for offences including illegal investigation, document falsification, and misuse of authority.

The FIR has been ordered against the following personnel: Inspector Pankaj Lavania, Sub-Inspector Prabodh Kumar, Inspector Rahul Chauhan, Senior Sub-Inspector Naresh Kumar, Sub-Inspector Neeraj Kumar Mattodkar, Sub-Inspector Jameel Ahmed, and constables Varun, Malti Chauhan, Ayush, Rajpal, Deepak Kumar, and Head Constable Roopchandra.

This case highlights growing concerns about misuse of authority and accountability within law enforcement agencies, underscoring the role of judicial oversight in upholding justice.