Police carelessness in Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, has resulted in a startling case that has rocked the whole legal system. In the process of looking for an accused in a theft case, the police discovered that the judge was also the accused.
The case is related to the State v. Rajkumar alias Pappu hearing that was taking place in the court of Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) Nagma Khan. Rajkumar, the accused, has been running away for a while. His arrest and property attachment had been ordered by the court.
Sub-Inspector Banwari Lal of the North Police Station filed a report in response to the court’s order. But everyone was taken aback by the report’s findings. “The accused Nagma Khan was searched for at her address, but she was not found,” the police report said. Indeed, Judge Nagma Khan was mistakenly named as the accused in the police report rather than the real accused.
Even Judge Nagma Khan was taken aback when the report was read aloud in court. She quickly sought for explanations from higher authorities, calling the report a severe breach of duty. The court demanded a response via letters to SSP Firozabad and IG Range Agra.
Judge Nagma Khan’s name was inadvertently inserted in lieu of the accused’s name in the report, which SP City Ravi Shankar Prasad said was a severe mistake. A departmental investigation is in progress.
The police lines are where Sub-Inspector Banwari Lal has been sent. This is more than just a clerical error; it demonstrates the kind of negligence that can compromise the fairness of our legal system. What happens at the upcoming hearing on April 26 and the repercussions for the responsible officials for this significant error are still up in the air.
