The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has finally identified the individual killed in the 2009 fake encounter case originally targeting notorious drug smuggler Bansi Gurjar in Neemuch district.
According to officials, the deceased was a mentally unstable man who had been lodged in the Rampura police station lock-up at the time. This person was mistakenly killed in the encounter at Besla Ghat, while Gurjar himself was found alive and arrested in December 2012 by Ujjain police.
CBI has registered a murder case against 18 police officers and employees involved in orchestrating this fake encounter. A former Rampura police station employee helped identify the deceased, stating that the man was dressed in Gurjar’s clothes to simulate Gurjar’s death. After the killing, Gurjar’s identity card was placed on the victim, reportedly as part of a deal in which Gurjar received Rs 35 lakh.
Earlier this year, Rampura police station in-charge Gladwin Edward Kar, head constable Neeraj Pradhan, and Durgashankar Tiwari were arrested in connection with the case.
Journalist Moolchand Khinchi, who filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Indore High Court leading to the CBI probe, has demanded that a murder case be registered against then Superintendent of Police Vedprakash Sharma, claiming the fake encounter was conducted under his orders.
The investigation continues as the CBI uncovers the full extent of the conspiracy behind this infamous case.
