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Police inspector, 6 others convicted in 2013 murder case
lkoreportersdesk@htlive.com
lkoreportersdesk@htlive.com
LUCKNOW Over six years after the murder of a 14-year-old boy, Maaz Ahmad Khan, a police inspector Sanjay Rai and six others were convicted in the case by a local court on Wednesday. The court, after cancelling the bail of all convicts, was likely to pronounce the quantum of punishment on Friday.
A source said the court of special judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) Swapna Singh convicted seven accused in the case, including the then Lucknow crime branch inspector Sanjay Rai, his brother Sandeep Rai, his domestic help Ram Babu alias Chhotu, shooters Ajeet Rai, Rahul Rai, Sunil Saini and one of his aides Rakesh Kumar Soni.
The court found Sanjay Rai, Sandeep Rai, Rakesh Kumar Soni, Ajit Rai and Ram Babu alias Chhotu guilty under IPC sections 302 for murder and 120-B for criminal conspiracy. Two others, Sunil Saini and Rahul Rai, were found guilty under IPC sections 302 for murder and 449 for criminal house trespass as well as section 34 for having common intention with conspirators, said the source.
Sanjai Rai masterminded the boy’s killing to implicate one Aqmal, who had come close to his ladylove. The shooters’ target was one of the two brothers of Rai’s ladylove, but they killed her maternal cousin Maaz when they entered her Indira Nagar house around 10.30 pm on May 29, 2013.
The woman’s two brothers had strained relationship with Aqmal and Rai had planned to take advantage of their enmity and implicate Aqmal after killing one of them.
The Lucknow police had claimed to work out the case after the arrest of Sanjay Rai’s domestic help Ram Babu alias Chhotu and two hired shooters Ajeet Rai and Rahul Rai on June 9, 2013.
The then Lucknow crime branch inspector Sanjay Rai’s name surfaced in the case and he was suspended by the then SSP J Ravinder Goud. Rai was terminated from his services later, but got reinstated two years ago by challenging the action in court.
CASE CHRONOLOGY
MAY 29, 2013: Three unidentified shooters shot dead Maaz after barging into a house in Indira Nagar’s Faridi Nagar locality.
JUN 9: Police arrested Sanjay Rai’s domestic help Ram Babu alias Chhotu and two hired shooters Ajeet Rai and Rahul Rai. They confessed involvement of Rai.
JUN 27: Police announced cash reward on Sanjay Rai as he remained elusive.
JUL 6Third shooter Sunil Saini arrested
JUL 9 Sanjay Rai terminated from police service
JUL 15: Sanjay Rai surrendered in court and sent to judicial custody
FEB 14, 2014: Sanjay Rai granted bail after spending seven months in jail. He was out of jail since then.
