Himachal Pradesh IGP Zahur Haider Zaidi and Seven Policemen Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for 2017 Custodial Death

A special CBI court has sentenced Himachal Pradesh Inspector General of Police Zahur Haider Zaidi and seven other officers to life imprisonment for a 2017 custodial death. This decision follows their conviction on January 18 by special CBI judge Alka Malik. The case involves the death of an accused in the Gudiya gang rape and murder investigation in Kotkhai, Shimla district.

The convicted officers include former deputy superintendent Manoj Joshi, sub-inspector Rajinder Singh, assistant SI Deep Chand Sharma, head constables Mohan Lal, Surat Singh, Rafee Mohammad, and constable Ranjit Sateta. However, the court acquitted former superintendent D W Negi. CBI public prosecutor Amit Jindal confirmed that each convict received a life sentence and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.

Convictions and Charges

The charges against the officers were severe. They were found guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. These included murder (302) read with criminal conspiracy (120-B), causing hurt to extort confession (330), wrongful confinement (348), giving false evidence (195), using false evidence (196), disappearance of evidence (201), and framing incorrect records by a public servant (218).

Zaidi, a 1994-batch IPS officer from Himachal Pradesh cadre, led a Special Investigation Team probing the Gudiya case. The team arrested Suraj, who later died in custody at Kotkhai police station on July 18, 2017. In response, police officials filed an FIR against another detainee, Rajinder, for Suraj's murder.

Background of the Case

The case began when a 16-year-old girl went missing in Kotkhai on July 4, 2017. Her body was discovered in Halaila forests on July 6. A postmortem confirmed she was raped and murdered, prompting a case registration. Public outrage led to the formation of Zaidi's Special Investigation Team by the state government.

The SIT arrested six individuals, including Suraj. Following his custodial death, the Himachal Pradesh High Court transferred both investigations to the CBI. The CBI subsequently arrested Zaidi, DSP Joshi, and other officers for their involvement in Suraj's death.

Legal Proceedings

After thorough investigations, the CBI charged the accused with criminal conspiracy, murder, fabricating false evidence, destroying evidence, and torturing detainees for confessions. The Supreme Court later moved the custodial death case from Shimla to Chandigarh in May 2019.

The court's decision reflects serious consequences for those involved in custodial misconduct. It underscores accountability within law enforcement agencies and highlights the importance of justice for victims of police brutality.