Lucknow: A day after TOI reported the acquittal of an accused in a six-year-old police encounter case, the superintendent of police of Ambedkar Nagar has taken cognizance and ordered a departmental inquiry into the matter.SP Prachi Singh confirmed to TOI that a probe has been initiated and the probe has been assigned to the additional superintendent of police for detailed investigation into the alleged lapses in the police version.The development follows a recent judgment by a local court which acquitted Manoj Chauhan in the Sep 18, 2020 encounter case registered at Alapur police station. The court, presided over by Additional District Judge Ramvilas Singh, observed that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and pointed out significant inconsistencies in the police narrative.According to the original police version, then SHO Brijesh Kumar Singh and his team had attempted to intercept a suspect following a tip-off from Jahangirganj police station. The accused allegedly opened fire after his motorcycle slipped, prompting retaliatory firing by the police, leading to his arrest. Police had claimed of seizing a country-made pistol, cartridges, three mobile phones and a stolen motorcycle. It was also stated that a constable sustained bullet injuries during the exchange.However, during trial, the prosecution’s case weakened considerably. The allegedly injured constable denied suffering any gunshot wound, a claim supported by medical evidence which recorded only minor injuries. The motorcycle owner also contradicted the police version, stating he was neither asked to identify the accused nor confirm recovery.The court further noted the absence of independent witnesses, despite indications that civilians were present at the scene, raising concerns over the credibility of the investigation.
