Court to start recording evidence against dismissed RPF constable from October 17
The trial for dismissed constable Chetansingh Chaudhary, accused of a hate crime killing four on a train, begins October 17. Witnesses summoned.
MUMBAI: The sessions court will start recording the evidence against dismissed railway police constable Chetansingh Bachhusingh Chaudhary, 34, accused of killing his senior and three Muslim passengers onboard the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express, from October 17.
The court on Tuesday issued summons to three witnesses – the complainant and RPF constable Amay Acharya, and two other witnesses, Hemant Brid and Atul Bangera, who will be appearing before the court on the designated date, commencing the trial. The prosecution has submitted all copies of documents and electronic evidence in a pen drive to the defense.
Charges had been framed against Singh about two months ago, on August 7, under sections 302 (murder), 153-A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code.
The shooting incident took place on July 31 last year, when Singh, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, allegedly gunned down RPF assistant sub-inspector Tikaram Meena and three passengers named Abdul Kadar, Asgar Abbas Ali, and Syed Saifullah. The chargesheet filed by the government railway police said Singh was completely sane and aware of the crime at the time of the incident.
The chargesheet identified the shooting incident as a hate crime, citing the testimonies of various passengers who saw the constable pick out Muslim men based on their appearance and identity before shooting them dead.
According to the police, Singh first shot his senior Meena minutes after the train crossed the Vaitarna station. Later, he shot 60-year-old Abdul Kaderbhai in the same compartment, crossed four coaches and killed two more passengers. Singh then leaned his assault weapon against the side seat and launched into a hate-filled rant targeting Muslims, asking passengers to record the same on their phones.
Amay Acharya, the complainant in the case and one of the witnesses summoned during the next hearing, had tried to stop Singh from taking his weapon but had to back off after the dismissed cop pointed the loaded gun at him.
Singh was arrested while trying to flee after passengers pulled the chain near Mira Road station.