A special CBI court here on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment all 10 convicts involved in the lynching of DSP and Kunda CO Zia Ul Haq in 2013. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 19,500 each on all convicts.
The CBI Special Court has ordered that half of the fine amount be paid to Parveen Azad, wife of Deputy SP Zia Ul Haq.
Independent Kunda MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, and his close associate Gulshan Yadav were also accused of the murder. However, the CBI had already given clean chit to both of them chit during the investigation.
Amidst tight security in the court premises, CBI Special Judge Dhirendra Kumar found Phoolchandra Yadav, Pawan Yadav, Manjeet Yadav, Ghanshyam Saroj, Ramlakhan Gautam, Chhote Lal Yadav, Ram Asare, Munna Patel, Shivram Pasi, and Jagat Bahadur Patel guilty of the murder.
After the sentencing, the court sent all convicts to jail. Sudhir, another accused in the murder case, was acquitted on October 4 due to lack of evidence.
During the hearing a few days ago, the court convicted the accused and fixed October 9 for pronouncing the quantum of punishment.
The verdict in the murder case of former Kunda CO Zia Ul Haq came after a long 11-year trial.
In the aftermath of Balipur Pradhan Nanhe Yadav’s murder, agitated people lynched the CO after beating him with sticks.
Pradhan Nanhe Singh Yadav was shot dead on the evening of March 2, 2013, in Balipur village of Hathigwan, while sitting at a tea stall near a disputed land. His son Yogendra alias Bablu, along with his brothers Pawan and Phoolchandra, and guard Manjeet, were named as the main accused in the murder of the CO.
After two months of investigation, the CBI gave a clean chit to Raja Bhaiya and the other accused. Raja Bhaiya underwent a narco test in Delhi.
After moving the High Court, the CO’s wife, Parveen, approached the Supreme Court to seek justice.
On March 9, 2017, Yogendra alias Bablu, the main accused in the CO murder case, died in a road accident in Rae Bareli, prompting family members to file a case against Raja Bhaiya.
On October 27, 2023, the court directed the CBI to resume investigation in Balipur. On October 4, 2024, the CBI court found 10 accused guilty in the murder case of CO Zia Ul Haq.