1 week ago
Allahabad High Court Orders CBI Probe Into Shravasti Encounter
The Allahabad High Court is investigating whether police accurately described a shooting involving a wanted man.
Police said the man fired at officers while trying to escape.
They said the police then shot him in both legs.
The judge thought parts of this story did not make sense.
The judge questioned how 13 officers could fit in one patrol vehicle.
He also questioned how the police chief could hit both legs at night after hearing a weapon being loaded.
The court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to examine what happened.
The court also said the man may not have received enough legal help during his criminal case.
The man has been convicted in another child rape case, but he was previously acquitted by the Supreme Court in a separate rape-murder case.
The Allahabad High Court ordered a CBI investigation into the May 11, 2025, police shooting of a rape accused in Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh.
The accused was shot in both legs after police alleged he opened fire while trying to flee toward Nepal.
Justice Subhash Vidyarthi questioned the police account, including the presence of 13 personnel in one vehicle and the SHO’s claimed shooting accuracy at night.
The court said the accused’s alleged confession and his later conviction appeared to involve serious procedural concerns, including inadequate legal aid and haste.
The accused, previously acquitted by the Supreme Court in a child rape-murder case, was sentenced to life imprisonment in a separate case on October 3, 2025.
- Who
- The Allahabad High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Uttar Pradesh Police, and a 36-year-old rape accused.
- What
- The High Court ordered a CBI probe into a police encounter in which the accused was shot in both legs and questioned the police account and related legal proceedings.
- Where
- Shravasti district and the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court in Uttar Pradesh.
- When
- The shooting occurred on May 11, 2025; the High Court issued its order on August 13, and the accused was convicted in a separate case on October 3, 2025.
- Why
- The court identified apparent inconsistencies in the police narrative and concerns about the accused’s confession, speedy conviction, and lack of legal aid.
Court and Accused’s Concerns
Police Account
What happened during the shooting
Court and Accused’s Concerns
The High Court found apparent inconsistencies in the police version and ordered an independent CBI investigation.
Police Account
Police said the accused fired at officers during an attempt to escape, leading to an exchange of fire in which he was shot in both legs.
The SHO’s shooting claim
Court and Accused’s Concerns
Justice Subhash Vidyarthi questioned how the SHO could fire two shots at night after merely hearing a weapon being loaded and hit both of the accused’s legs from about 15 metres.
Police Account
SHO Ashwini Kumar Dubey said he fired two shots in self-defence and in defence of the accompanying officers, and told the court it was a moonlit night.
Fairness of the criminal proceedings
Court and Accused’s Concerns
The court said the prosecution appeared to act with exceptional haste, questioned the alleged confession made while the accused was injured and surrounded by police, and noted that legal aid was not provided at remand.
Police Account
The accused was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Shravasti court in the separate case involving the alleged rape of a six-year-old.
Key facts
- Incident date
- May 11, 2025
- Location
- Shravasti district, Uttar Pradesh
- Court order
- The Lucknow Bench ordered a CBI investigation on August 13.
- Injuries
- The accused was shot in both legs.
- Police account
- Police alleged that the accused opened fire while attempting to flee toward Nepal.
- Conviction
- He received a life sentence on October 3, 2025, in a case involving the alleged rape of a six-year-old.
- Next hearing
- The High Court directed the CBI to complete its probe in three months and listed November 23 for the next hearing.
Quotes
Justice Subhash Vidyarthi
Allahabad High Court judge
“DAY IN AND DAY OUT… WHENEVER THE POLICE APPREHEND A PERSON, IT OFTEN GIVES RISE TO ANOTHER FIR ALLEGING THAT WHEN THE ACCUSED WAS APPREHENDED, HE INDULGED INTO INDISCRIMINATE FIRING AGAINST THE POLICE TEAM. “],”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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