AGRA: Rajveer Singh Yadav was never the man police meant to arrest. It was his brother Ramveer they wanted. But one clerical mistake - a swapped name - landed Rajveer behind bars for 22 days. While cops admitted to the error within weeks, the case dragged on for 17 years in court, wrecking his livelihood, his kids' education, and his peace of mind. Now at 55, Rajveer has finally been acquitted.
A Mainpuri court on Saturday declared Rajveer Singh Yadav innocent and ordered action against the policemen whose "gross negligence" cost him nearly two decades of suffering.
Punish cops whose error cost man 17yrs of suffering: Court
I kept insisting I wasn't the one. But they didn't listen. They just picked me up and sent me to jail," Rajveer, father of three daughters and a son, told TOI on Saturday. "I fought the case for 17 years. At the time, no one even knew who had filed the case - they just saw my name and dragged me in. I couldn't work. I couldn't educate my children. I lost everything."
He added: "I somehow managed to get my daughters married. My son had to drop out. We were destroyed. I just want the officers who did this to me to be held accountable. At the very least, I should be compensated for what I've gone through."
The case goes back to Aug 31, 2008, when Mainpuri police filed an FIR under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) and provisions of the SC/ST Act against four men, including Manoj Yadav, Pravesh Yadav, Bhola Yadav, and Ramveer Singh Yadav - all from Nagla Bhant village, Mainpuri - following a clash allegedly linked to an election dispute. The Gangster Act was added soon after.
However, when the gang chart was prepared, the then SHO of Mainpuri Kotwali, Omprakash, made a critical error: instead of Ramveer, he listed Rajveer Singh Yadav - Ramveer's elder brother. The investigation was handed over to sub-inspector Shivsagar Dixit, the then SHO of Dannahar police station, Rajveer's lawyer Vinod Kumar Yadav said.
On Dec 1 that year, Rajveer was arrested. From jail, he moved a plea before the special Gangster Act court in Agra, insisting that he had been wrongly named. The court summoned the officers concerned. On Dec 22, inspector Omprakash admitted before the judge that Rajveer's name had been "added by mistake". The court passed his release order the same day.
Judge Mohammed Iqbal, who was then hearing Gangster Act cases, even wrote to the SSP of Mainpuri recommending disciplinary action against the erring cops. But despite the admission in court and the judge's warning, SI Shivsagar Dixit still filed a chargesheet against Rajveer - and the case continued.
A Mainpuri court on Saturday declared Rajveer Singh Yadav innocent and ordered action against the policemen whose "gross negligence" cost him nearly two decades of suffering.
Punish cops whose error cost man 17yrs of suffering: Court
I kept insisting I wasn't the one. But they didn't listen. They just picked me up and sent me to jail," Rajveer, father of three daughters and a son, told TOI on Saturday. "I fought the case for 17 years. At the time, no one even knew who had filed the case - they just saw my name and dragged me in. I couldn't work. I couldn't educate my children. I lost everything."
He added: "I somehow managed to get my daughters married. My son had to drop out. We were destroyed. I just want the officers who did this to me to be held accountable. At the very least, I should be compensated for what I've gone through."
The case goes back to Aug 31, 2008, when Mainpuri police filed an FIR under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) and provisions of the SC/ST Act against four men, including Manoj Yadav, Pravesh Yadav, Bhola Yadav, and Ramveer Singh Yadav - all from Nagla Bhant village, Mainpuri - following a clash allegedly linked to an election dispute. The Gangster Act was added soon after.
However, when the gang chart was prepared, the then SHO of Mainpuri Kotwali, Omprakash, made a critical error: instead of Ramveer, he listed Rajveer Singh Yadav - Ramveer's elder brother. The investigation was handed over to sub-inspector Shivsagar Dixit, the then SHO of Dannahar police station, Rajveer's lawyer Vinod Kumar Yadav said.
On Dec 1 that year, Rajveer was arrested. From jail, he moved a plea before the special Gangster Act court in Agra, insisting that he had been wrongly named. The court summoned the officers concerned. On Dec 22, inspector Omprakash admitted before the judge that Rajveer's name had been "added by mistake". The court passed his release order the same day.
Judge Mohammed Iqbal, who was then hearing Gangster Act cases, even wrote to the SSP of Mainpuri recommending disciplinary action against the erring cops. But despite the admission in court and the judge's warning, SI Shivsagar Dixit still filed a chargesheet against Rajveer - and the case continued.
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