court.
– Photo: Amar Ujala.
Expansion
The Crime Branch and Phulpur Police patted themselves on the back by showing that they had recovered 7.80 quintals of ganja from four inter-state smugglers 10 years ago, but this story fell flat in the court. The ganja rotted in the police station itself. All four accused were acquitted. Of the 11 witnesses, including the CO, only one testified. The police could not even show the truck, car and scooter from which smuggling was claimed. The court has registered an FIR against the guilty policemen and ordered to take strict action.
The team of the then Phulpur police station in-charge Kushal Pal Yadav and crime branch in-charge Om Shankar Shukla had claimed to have recovered 7.80 quintals of ganja from a mini truck and Alto car from Saraiya Tirahe on April 20, 2014. Ashok Jaiswal and Deepak Jaiswal, residents of Bahria Mubarakpur, Ramakant Vishwakarma of Muthiganj and Tejdhar Mishra of Tilai (Mirzapur) were arrested. The two absconding accused were identified by constable Ghulam Shabir as Vipin Jaiswal and Trishul Chandra.
The accused were searched in front of CO Alka Dharmaraj. Inspector Gajanand Choubey filed a charge sheet against the four accused under sections of the Narcotics Act. During the 10-year long trial, the prosecution could present only Kushal Pal Yadav, who wrote the case, out of 11 witnesses including the then CO, Crime Branch in-charge and the investigator. Fard recovery was presented as evidence.