Sloppy cops helped killers get away

THE LUCKNOW police, including its top boss, coolly winked at the continued presence of the assailants of Mehar Bhargava in the state capital after Mehar was shot at on February 28. Had they wanted, Sachin Pahari and Amit could not have left the state capital after having spent more than a week here making frequent phone calls to their mentors.

Assailants were in city for more than a week

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THE LUCKNOW police, including its top boss, coolly winked at the continued presence of the assailants of Mehar Bhargava in the state capital after Mehar was shot at on February 28. Had they wanted, Sachin Pahari and Amit could not have left the state capital after having spent more than a week here making frequent phone calls to their mentors.

In fact the police top brass, including the DGP who never got tired of lecturing his men on growing cases of atrocities against women, never ever bothered to even enquire about the incident till Mehar breathed her last on March 25 and the CM paid a visit to the bereaved family.

Everything was there in black and white. The data of Sachin’s Airtel number showed its location in the city continuously till March 8. It was this clear: Soon after firing at Mehar, Sachin accompanied by Amit went straight to his rented room at Chhitwapur locality in Hussainganj.

Sachin then contacted KD Singh and his lawyer Santosh Pathak from his flat and informed them about the incident. Pathak and KD asked him if anybody had identified them. The gangster then asked them not to leave the room till a safe arrangement was made. Sachin continued to use his mobile till March 8 after which it was switched off.  Investigating officer (IO) KM Rai had procured Sachin’s number the very next day of the shootout and subsequently the senior cops were intimated about it. But, the senior cops did not issue directives for putting Sachin’s phone on surveillance for tracing his location.  As the IO was never asked about the progress into the investigation, he too did not make any effort in this connection.

Result: Sachin and Amit both left Lucknow when they found it easy. None of the senior cops, including the SSP, the DIG (Range) and the IG (Zone) too, hardly sought any account of the progress in the investigation.