Jhansi: Accused at large and probe officer have a past in another case

Vipin Yadav, Pushpender Yadav and Ravinder Yadav were named in the FIR by SHO Dharmender Chauhan.

While Pushpender was gunned down by an armed police team in Gursarai on October 6, his brother Ravinder was not arrested as he claimed he was on duty at JLN metro station in Delhi on the date of the incident. Vipin, their cousin, is on the run.

Pushpendra Yadav’s wife Shivangi. (Express photo by Gajendra Yadav)

Vipin’s brother, constable Sachender Yadav, attached with ADG, Kanpur, had levelled allegations of bribery a year ago against SI Vikas Singh, the Investigating Officer in the case. Singh was accused of professional misconduct for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 30, 000 after he impounded a tractor belonging to their relative. He was sent to the police lines and shifted to Moth police station in March this year.

Pushpender Yadav

When contacted, Sachender Yadav told The Indian Express, “My relative was building a toilet about a year ago. SI Vikas, then posted at Tehroli police station, had impounded my relative’s tractor and asked for a bribe of Rs 30,000. We refused to pay the bribe and I complained to my superiors and managed to get a departmental enquiry initiated against him. He was suspended for professional misconduct, and recently shifted to Moth police station. He has implicated Vipin to get back at my family.”

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When contacted, SI Vikas confirmed that a departmental enquiry was initiated against him a year ago, but said it did not influence the probe. “Vipin’s brother had filed a false complaint against me when I impounded his tractor. After the departmental enquiry, my career was literally over. I was posted at Moth police station in March this year. The SHO has taken Vipin’s name in the complaint and not me,” Vikas said.

People from village of Pushpendra Yadav in Jhansi (Express photo by Gajendra Yadav)

In the FIR, Chauhan, the SHO, wrote that when the three — Pushpender, Ravinder and Vipin — intercepted his Creta car, “Vipin looked at Pushpender and angrily said, ‘look this is the Inspector who impounded our truck on 29 September, 2019’. Do not spare him today”. Chauhan claimed that Pushpender opened fire at him with a .315 bore pistol which grazed his cheek.

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After the Creta car was stolen, four teams from Jhansi police cornered and shot at Pushpender and two unidentified men in an encounter leading to his death. A separate FIR was filed against three unknown persons (Pushpender was one of them) over the encounter.

The doctors at Jhansi medical college where Chauhan was initially admitted said he was shifted to a hospital at Kanpur. “He is out of danger. There were two abrasions on his cheeks. They are not life threatening and he did not require surgery,” said a doctor in the hospital.

Pushpender Yadav’s father at his home in Jhansi. (Expresss photo by Gajendra Yadav)

Meanwhile, Sachender Yadav was shifted to Kanauj police lines Thursday after senior police officials were of the view he may influence the Jhansi encounter case in which Pushpender (27), accused of involvement in illegal sand mining, was gunned down by an armed police team in Gursarai on October 6.

“I have been asked to report at Kanauj police lines. I do not know why I have been asked to move… my brother’s name cropping up in the case may be the reason. I will be transferring prisoners and be stationed at VIP routes from now on,” Sachender said.

The decision to transfer Sachender Yadav came after the investigating officer in the case reported to ADG, Kanpur that Sachender was calling up police officers in a bid to influence the probe. “I was told by the SI probing the case that the constable is influencing the case. We shifted him out to also fill vacancies in several police stations in UP,” said ADG (Kanpur) Prem Prakash.

Pushpendra Yadav’s bike.

Vipin (21) is a class XII passout. He recently appeared for his LLB entrance exam, his family said. His father is currently lodged in a UP jail in a murder case, while his mother has been sick for some time. Ravinder said on the day the Creta car was robbed, his brother was looking for labourers to undertake some repair work at his house.

“My brother called me before going to bed. The next day I got calls from Moth police station inquiring into Pushpender’s whereabouts. I made calls to the police and found that Pushpender was killed and my brother (Vipin) was on the run. I did make several calls to the local police not to influence the probe but to enquire about my brother,” Sachender said.

“I spoke to my brother while he was on the run. He was thirsty and hungry and wanted to surrender but did not have the strength. He is scared the police will kill him,” he said.