Chandan Gupta murder: HC rejects plea seeking transfer of trial from Lucknow to Kasganj

From Kasganj, the case was transferred to Etah court and thereafter to NIA court in Lucknow in 2022; NIA court completed hearing on Oct 23 and reserved the order for Oct 25, but 18 accused moved HC, seeking transfer of case to Kasganj

LUCKNOW The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Friday rejected a petition challenging the NIA court’s trial of the January 2018 Chandan Gupta murder case of Kasganj. A single-judge bench of Justice Rajeev Singh dismissed the petition of the accused.

“The high court has found no merit in the petition and dismissed it,” said advocate Vinod Shahi, additional advocate general. (File Photo)

The petitioner had sought transfer of the ongoing trial in the case from the NIA court in Lucknow district court to Kasganj.

“The high court has found no merit in the petition and dismissed it,” said advocate Vinod Shahi, additional advocate general.

Chandan Gupta, 23, who was part of a tiranga yatra on January 26, 2018, was shot dead when bikers holding the tricolour and saffron flags wanted right of the way through an area earmarked for a ceremony in the predominantly Muslim neighbourhood, triggering communal violence. At least three shops, two buses and a car were also torched in the clashes.

From Kasganj, the case was transferred to the Etah district court and thereafter to the NIA court, Lucknow, in 2022.

The NIA court of Vivekanand Saran Tripathi, additional district judge, completed the hearing in the case on October 23 and reserved the order for October 25.

However, before this, 18 accused in the murder case moved high court, seeking transfer of the case to Kasganj.

“The NIA court has completed hearing in the Chandan Gupta murder case. The court had to pronounce the order on October 25. But before this, 18 accused in the case moved the high court, seeking to transfer the case to Kasganj,” said advocate Manoj Tripathi, district government counsel.