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Allahabad High Court Overturns Rampur CRPF Attack Death Sentences, Narrows Case to Arms Offence

The bench cited fatal probe defects, from missing identification parades to unreliable forensics, leaving the state free to act against erring officers.

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Overview

  • A division bench set aside the 2019 death sentences for four men and a life term for another, acquitting all five of murder and other principal charges.
  • The court said the prosecution failed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt, dismissing counts under the IPC, UAPA, the Explosive Substances Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
  • The five were convicted only under Section 25(1-A) of the Arms Act and sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment with Rs 1 lakh fines each, with time in custody to be credited and sentences deemed complete if 10 years already served.
  • The judgment flagged investigative lapses including the absence of test identification parades, unexplained custody of lifted fingerprints, bullets that did not match test fires, an unreliable FSL report and improper Malkhana handling of evidence.
  • The case stems from the December 31, 2007–January 1, 2008 Rampur attack that killed seven CRPF personnel and a civilian, and the court said the state may proceed against investigating officers as two other accused had been acquitted earlier at trial.