A day after a man was allegedly taken to a police station by the cops he had approached to complain against an auto driver, his body was found in a canal on May 21.
Rajeev Kumar, friend of the deceased Rajnikant Sharma, claims Sharma was taken in a PCR van by cops who “wanted to teach him a lesson” for his insistence they take action against the auto driver.
The police have initiated a probe of murder carried out by the Delhi Police Crime Branch but say there are no records of the accused being taken to the Ghazipur or any other PS.
The initial post-mortem, which shows ante-mortem injuries on the body has further twisted the matter.
Delhi secretary of the All India Central Council of Trade Union Shyam Kishore said that Rajeev Kumar had first approached him.
Fare dispute
“Rajeev said he and Sharma had taken an auto-rickshaw from Kaushambi for Kondli. They got off the vehicle near the Ghazipur village bus stand but had an argument over the fare. Rajnikant saw a police vehicle and stopped it. But, his complain against the driver was not taken seriously as he was drunk. Rajnikant entered the vehicle and refused to get off till action was taken against the driver,” said Mr. Kishore.
Rajeev then tried to intervene who said they would take him to the Ghazipur police station and instructed Rajeev to visit next morning.
On Friday, Rajeev went to the PS with his friend Ramesh but was told Sharma neither was he there nor was he ever brought there. Rajeev claims that evening while they were returning from the PS, they saw a crowd near the Hindon canal.
Drowning call
On reaching the spot they learnt a body had been found floating in it. Contesting this claim, Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said the police had attended a drowning call and it was in the course of enquiry they found he had left with Rajeev and a friend.
“Before May 24, he never approached us and narrated the incident. On May 22, after the initial post-mortem report, we registered a case of murder and destruction of evidence and then called him to provide his version. A probe is on,” said Mr. Bhagat.
