National
Gujarat court discharges ex-DGP Pandey in Ishrat Jahan case
Ahmedabad, Feb 21 (IANS) A special CBI court here on Wednesday discharged former Gujarat DGP incharge P.P. Pandey, a key accused in the 2004 Ishrat Jahan shootout case.
Allowing Pandey’s discharge application, court presiding officer J.K. Pandya said that the investigating agency had not been able to provide evidence against the police officer relating to kidnapping and murder of Ishrat Jahan and three others on the city outskirts in 2004.
With this development, Pandey has become the first accused to be discharged in the case.
The court ruled that evidence given by witnesses in the case was contradictory and that they gave different versions to different investigating agencies.
The court pointed out that according to Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), in case of a government servant, the Investigating Officer was required to take permission from the state to prosecute him and file the charge sheet. This was not the case with Pandey, it added.
The Ahmedabad Police Crime Branch officials had gunned down 19-year-old college student Ishrat Jahan hailing from Mumbra in Maharashtra, her friend Javed Sheikh alias Pranesh, Zeeshan Johar and Amzad Rana in an alleged shootout on June 15, 2004, on Ahmedabad’s outskirts, claiming they had come to carry out terror activities in the state, including an attack on then Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Pandey was head of the Crime Branch at that time.
The CBI, that investigated the case, had in its first charge sheet filed in 2013, accused seven police and Indian Police Service officials, including Pandey, ADG D.G. Vanzara and G.L. Singhal, of kidnapping, murder and conspiracy.
The CBI had also named four Intelligence Bureau officials, including Special Director Rajinder Kumar and officer M.S. Sinha, in its supplementary charge sheet, which still awaits the Centre’s sanction.
Pandey spent 19 months in jail till February 2015. He was later reinstated as Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) and later as DGP in-charge of the state. He, however, was forced to resign as head of the state police in April 2017 after his promotion was challenged in the Supreme Court by former top cop Julio F. Ribeiro.
Fighting the case, Pandey claimed that none of the 105 witnesses examined by the court had named him and that he had no direct or indirect involvement in the case.
“At times, it appears that there is a delay in delivery of justice in our country but eventually the truth does come out. This is good for Gujarat Police… it also shows that the courts are neutral and can take firm decisions,” Pandey told reporters after the judgment.
Shamshad Pathan, the lawyer representing the next of kin of those killed in the shootout, said: “Definitely this is a disappointing verdict. The victims’ side will surely challenge the decision in a higher court.”
He said: “He (Pandey) has the main role in the conspiracy and the court has not taken (into consideration) evidences before it on the basis of which this verdict can be challenged.”
–IANS
desai/tsb/bg
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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