Judge who ordered FIR against police in Sambhal firing case transferred
The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday issued an administrative order transferring 14 judicial officers, including Sambhal Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Vibhanshu Sudheer, who has been posted as Civil Judge (Senior Division) in Sultanpur.
The transfer comes days after CJM Sudheer passed an order directing the police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against several police officials in connection with the Sambhal violence of November 2024. Among those named in the order were then Sambhal Circle Officer Anuj Chaudhary, Sambhal Kotwali in-charge Anuj Kumar Tomar and 15 to 20 unidentified police personnel.
The case relates to allegations of police firing with intent to kill, in which a local youth, Alam, sustained grievous injuries. The application before the court stated that on November 24, 2024, at around 8.45 am, Alam was selling rusks and biscuits from a thela near Jama Masjid in Mohalla Kot, Sambhal, when police personnel allegedly opened fire on a crowd.
After examining the police report and medical records, the court noted that the victim had indeed suffered gunshot injuries, though the identity of the shooter was yet to be established. The CJM observed that the true facts of the incident could only be revealed through investigation and that it was unlikely a victim of an attempted murder would falsely implicate someone while sparing the actual offender.
“In such a situation, it is clear that if a heinous crime such as attempted murder is committed against someone, the victim will accuse the person who attempted to commit the crime,” the court observed.
In his 11-page order, CJM Sudheer also rejected the preliminary defence taken by the police that the firing was part of official duty. Referring to rulings of the Supreme Court of India, he held that opening fire on a person cannot be treated as discharge of official duty and therefore does not attract statutory protection.
The court further noted that the police report appeared “suspicious” and was inconsistent with the medical evidence, which specifically recorded a “gunshot wound” and mentioned “police firing in riot.” Holding that a prima facie cognisable offence was made out, the court said that only a full investigation could bring out the truth.
CJM Sudheer had allowed the application filed by Yameen, the father of the injured youth, under Section 173(4) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), directing registration of the FIR against the concerned police officials.
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15 IAS officers transferred in Haryana
Chandigarh (PTI): The Haryana government transferred 15 IAS officers with immediate effect on Wednesday.
Among those who have been transferred are Vineet Garg, Chairman, Haryana State Pollution Control Board. He has been posted as the additional chief secretary to the government's printing and stationery department, relieving Raja Shekhar Vundru of the charge, a government order said.
Ajay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram, has been transferred and posted as the deputy principal secretary-II to the chief minister against a newly-created post.
Pankaj Agarwal, Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Water Resources Department, has been posted as the principal secretary in the architecture department, relieving Apporva Kumar Singh of the charge.
Saket Kumar, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Commissioner and Secretary, Development and Panchayats Department, has been transferred and posted as the commissioner and secretary in the archives department, relieving Shekhar Vidyarthi of the charge.
Mani Ram Sharma, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, has been posted as the secretary in the health department, relieving Rippudaman Singh Dhillon of the charge.
