Churu SP Rahul Barhat, Kuchaman City DSP Vidhya Prakash, Inspector Surya Veer Singh, Head Constable Sohan Singh, Kailash Chandra and Constables Dharmpal and Dharamveer, who were involved in the 2017 'Encounter' killing of gangster Anandpal will be tried for murder as per a CBI Court ruling on Wednesday, 24 July.

The orders for filing a Murder case against the above named cops came as a result of thet CBI Court rejecting the Closure Repor filed by the CBI, whcih gave a clean chit to the cops. The Court was hearing a petition filed by Raj Kanwar, wife of the deceased Anandpal. The petition challenged the closure report of the CBI on the alleged fake encounter of Ananpal on 24 June 2017 at Malasar village in Churu District of Rajasthan, in which he was killed.

Petition on Closure Report

The Police in their report, claimed that the team had cordoned off the house in which Anandpal was hiding, but he began shooting at the cops, leading them to fire back in defence, hence killing Anandpal. One of the cops, Commando Sohan Singh Shekhawat was also injured in the shooting. The CBI had initiated an enquiry by CFSL on this injury, where it was reported that the bullet that injured Sohan Singh, in fact, did come from Anandpal's weapon. As per reports, Sohan Singh was treated for nearly 6 months, and he is still unable to make full us of his body parts, due to the ensuing internal injuries.

After the encounter, the community members protested and alleged foul play, which led the case to handed over by the Rajasthan Government to the CBI in December 2017. CBI submitted its closure report in August 2019, confirming that it was an encounter.

Anandpal's wife Raj Kunwar and his brother, Rupendrapal Singh, an eyewitness to the killing, challenged the closure report in May 2023. Bhanwar Singh, counsel to the petitioners, informed that the CBI Court heard arguments of both the sides and ruled that Anandpal had in fact surrendered before he was shot dead. Conclusively rejecting the Closure Report of the CBI, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Yuvraj Singh directed that a case of murder be filed against the above named Policemen.

The case will be filed under Sections 147, 148, 324, 325, 326, read with Section 149.

History

Bhanwar Singh, the Counsel of the petitioners informed that after being apprehended and interrogated, Rupendrapal and Devendrapal led the police team to the house where Anandpal was hiding. Anandpal was hiding on the roof and Rupendrapal led the Police team, including SP Barhat to the roof. Anandpal was convinced that he was cornered, and he surrendered. However, as per the petitioner, the police the team shot Anandpal on the roof where he was killed. Police claim that they shot him from the ground. The CBI report also did not mention the presence of DSP Vidhya Prakash, where one of the cartridges on location was found to be from his weapon.