Allahabad HC Orders Murder FIR Against 5 Cops in Sitapur Sub-Inspector’s Suspicious Death, Probe by IPS Officer

Lucknow: In a significant development, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has mandated the Inspector General of Police (IG) Lucknow range to file a First Information Report (FIR) for murder against five police officers, including the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sitapur’s Machhrehhta police station. The directive follows the suspicious death of Sub-Inspector Manoj Kumar, an upright officer known for his resistance to corrupt practices, who was found dead with a gunshot wound to his chest on April 12, 2024.

Sub-Inspector Manoj Kumar, 55, had a long and dedicated career with the Uttar Pradesh Police, starting as a constable in 1990 before being promoted to the rank of S-I in 2023. He was posted at the Machhrehhta police station at the time of his death. His death, initially declared a suicide by the Sitapur Superintendent of Police (SP), had raised several questions, particularly due to his reputation as a diligent and honest officer.

The situation took a grim turn when Manoj Kumar’s wife, Geeta Devi, alleged that her husband was murdered by the SHO and others, and that the crime was staged to look like a suicide. Supporting her claims, she presented a post-mortem report which revealed that the fatal firearm injury was located on the left side of Manoj Kumar’s chest, a detail inconsistent with typical suicide cases. Additionally, the internal organs were found intact, a condition labeled as “NAD” in the report, further questioning the suicide theory.

Adding to the suspicions, it was uncovered that Manoj Kumar had shared a handwritten application with his son via WhatsApp, accusing the then SHO, Raj Bahadur Singh, and four constables—Abu Hadi Khan, Ranjeet Yadav, Shane Alam, and Sunil Kumar—of engaging in corrupt practices. He had also reported being pressured by these officers to deliver money regularly. Despite these serious allegations, no FIR was registered, and the accused officers were merely transferred to other locations by SP Sitapur Chakresh Mishra.

On August 6, 2024, the High Court bench, comprising Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Narendra Kumar Johari, expressed strong disapproval of the SP’s failure to register an FIR despite assurances made to Geeta Devi. The court ordered IG Prashant Kumar to ensure the FIR is lodged based on the widow’s complaint and instructed that the investigation be conducted by a senior IPS officer from a district other than Sitapur, to ensure impartiality.

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The court’s order also highlighted the unexplained delay in obtaining CCTV footage from the police station, where the cameras had been reportedly operational round the clock. The SP’s immediate declaration of the death as a suicide without a thorough investigation also came under sharp criticism.

The Allahabad High Court’s decision underscores the importance of a fair investigation into the death of Sub-Inspector Manoj Kumar, as the court seeks to ensure justice for an officer who stood firm against corruption. The involvement of a senior IPS officer from outside Sitapur aims to bring transparency and credibility to the investigation, addressing the concerns raised by the deceased officer’s family and ensuring that the truth behind the tragic incident is uncovered.

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