Appointment of cop accused of shooting at gym trainer put on hold after criticism in Noida

The reappointment order of sun-inspector Vijay Darshan was put on hold by the Noida police department as an internal departmental inquiry had been pending against him, senior police officers said.

Hours after former sub-inspector Vijay Darshan Sharma was reinstated Sunday night, the reappointment order was put on hold by the Noida police department as an internal departmental inquiry had been pending against him, senior police officers said.

Sub-inspector from Noida had been charged with shooting at Jitendra Yadav (27), a Noida-based gym trainer. (Shutterstock Image)

Sharma had been acquitted by a Surajpur court earlier this month in a case of alleged fake encounter.

“Though Sharma has been acquitted by the court in a case against him, his reappointment order was taken back last night itself since the departmental inquiry against him is pending,” Gautam Budh Nagar senior superintendent of police, Vaibhav Krishna, said.

After the reinstatement, Sharma was posted as Echer chowki incharge in Sector Beta II, Greater Noida, but following reports of criticism from various local residents’ groups and media persons’ groups, his reappointment was put on hold.

On Sunday night, the Noida police had shuffled 16 inspectors, including some station house officers and 17 sub-inspectors (SI) between different police stations. The list included Sharma, who was hitherto attached to Surajpur police lines.

Sharma had been charged with shooting at Jitendra Yadav (27), a Noida-based gym trainer, in an alleged fake encounter in Sector 122 on February 3, 2018. Earlier this month, he was acquitted for lack of evidence by the Surajpur district and sessions court. The five eyewitnesses in the case had failed to identify Sharma and he was released from jail on August 5.

The incident had created a furore, with massive protests by Yadav’s family members and locals last year.

BD Gaur, Sharma’s lawyer, said the chargesheet against him had been filed by the police. “The matter was heard in the court of additional sessions judge Inder Preet Singh Josh for one-and-a-half years. The court acquitted Sharma as there was no evidence against him,” he said.

Gaur maintained this was a fabricated case against his client. “In fact, four criminals had attacked the victim. A police team had gone there after the incident. The SI had a 9 mm licenced pistol and the bullet wound on the victim did not match it,” he said.

Yadav is now paralysed below the waist. He lives in Parthala Khanjarpur village and mostly remains inside his house and does not spend as much time at the gym as he used to. When contacted, Yadav said he wants to move on. “I have struggled a lot in the last one-and-a-half years. I have sold my belongings to meet my medical expenses. The government did not help me at all,” he said.

“I earlier weighed 104 kg, while today I am just 70 kg. My dreams of body building have been shattered,” he said.

Yadav now uses a wheelchair to visit his gym for sometime in mornings and evenings. A domestic helper accompanies him wherever he goes. He lives with his wife Soni (26), daughter Aisha (5) and son Ayush (2) and is hopeful of standing on his feet again one day.

He said he would not challenge the court order.