City Reports

CBI to investigate Anandpal Singh encounter case, Center gives its nod

In a letter received from Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the central government informed the home department that the case was being handed over to the CBI.

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February 1, 2018, 11:10 am

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Anandpal Singh who was killed in a police encounter in Churu.

Jaipur: The Central government has finally given its nod to the Rajasthan government’s recommendation for a CBI probe into the Anandpal Singh police encounter case.

In a letter received from Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the central government informed the home department that the case was being handed over to the CBI.

The development has come as a big relief for the state government. The government had recommended a CBI probe in a letter dated July 24, but the CBI turned down the request on grounds that there were not enough evidence to initiate a probe.

However, the government again wrote a letter on July 17. It warned that the law and order situation in the state might go for a toss if the CBI probe was not ordered into the encounter.

The government pleaded that the discontent among Rajputs is growing as their primary demand for a CBI investigation into the encounter that they alleged was fake has not been accepted. It could lead to a law and order situation, the government argued in the letter.

The CBI had in November filed its reply in the Rajasthan high court’s Jodhpur bench refusing to take up the Anandpal Singh encounter case for investigation.

Sachin Acharya, the counsel of the CBI, told the court that the CBI had refused to investigate the matter as it considers it to be not worth investigating.

The home department is worried that Rajputs who have been at loggerheads with the state governments recently over Padmavati row may again launch an agitation demanding a CBI probe.

One man was killed while more than 32 others, most of them policemen, were injured in clashes between police and Rajput community members at Sanvrad village on July 12. People who were protesting demanding a CBI probe into the encounter went on rampage. They beat up policemen, uprooted railway tracks and even attempted to torch a train.

Anandpal was killed in a police encounter in Malasar village of Churu district on June 24. His family members alleged that the encounter was bogus and he was killed even when he wanted to surrender. The police officials, however, said that he was asked to surrender several times, but instead opened fire on policemen.

Read also: From Pappu to Anandpal Singh: The story behind the making of a dreaded criminal in Rajasthan

First published: December 27, 2017