In a significant ruling, the NIA Court in Lucknow has delivered its verdict in the high-profile murder case of Chandan Gupta in Kasganj. Of the 30 accused, 28 have been found guilty, while two have been acquitted, giving them the benefit of the doubt. The sentencing is yet to be determined.
Chandan Gupta, also known as Abhishek Gupta, was fatally shot during a Republic Day celebration on January 26, 2018, which escalated into a violent clash. The incident occurred when Gupta and his companions, including his brother Vivek Gupta, were participating in a patriotic ‘Tiranga Yatra’ procession. According to the prosecution’s special advocate, the procession was ambushed near the Government Girls’ Inter College on Tehsil Road by a group armed and prepared for violence.
The attackers, identified as Saleem, Waseem, Naseem (sons of Barkatullah alias Barki), Zahid alias Jagga, Asif Qureshi alias Hitler, and others, allegedly obstructed the procession, snatched the Indian flag, and threw it on the ground while chanting pro-Pakistan slogans and threatening those who refused to chant along.
The prosecution detailed how the confrontation led to stone-throwing and firing, with Saleem specifically targeting Chandan Gupta, which resulted in his death. Gupta was critically injured and was initially taken to the Kasganj police station by his brother, from where he was rushed to the district hospital. He was declared dead upon arrival.
Following the severity and anti-national nature of the acts, the local police began an investigation which was later handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) due to the case’s complexity and implications. The initial charge sheet filed by the NIA on April 26, 2018, included Saleem, Waseem, Naseem, and several others, totaling 30 accused. The charges included rioting, unlawful assembly, grievous harm with stones and weapons, attempted murder, defamation, threatening life and property, and charges under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act.
During the trial, twelve witnesses were presented, including Chandan’s father, Sushil Kumar Gupta, and his brother Vivek Gupta, who provided eyewitness testimonies against the accused.
