After 22 years, all convicts of 1997 UP Hamirpur murder case behind bars

After 22 years of long wait, all the convicts of the 1997 UP Hamirpur murder case where five members of a family were killed have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Supreme Court has dismissed the bail plea of accused Raghubir Singh whereas the judges who had earlier given bail to all the accused have been terminated.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday has dismissed the bail plea of accused Raghubir Singh in the 1997 Uttar Pradesh Hamirpur murder case. The apex court has sentenced life imprisonment to all the convicts in the 22-year-old murder case where they have killed five members of a family in Hamirpur on January 26, 1997.

Singh is a liquor mafia and an accused in killing those five people out of political rivalry.

Advocate Rajeev Shukla, one of the witnesses of murder said," We have been struggling for 22 years. These people had taken bail from a trial court before and planted a bomb to eliminate us so that we cannot appeal in the court."

"My family was harassed and trapped in false cases. An attempt was also made to kill the lawyer fighting in High Court. Witnesses of the case were also threatened," said Shukla.

Following Supreme Court's direction, a medical panel was constituted comprising 8 doctors to examine the medical condition of Raghubir Singh who was seeking bail on medical grounds. The doctors revealed that Singh was only suffering from type 2 diabetes.

One of the accused Ashutosh Singh is a relative of Kuldeep Sengar who is accused of the Unnao rape case. Singh is also accused of killing the Additional SP of Uttar Pradesh.

Ashok Chandel who is a former BJP MLA and MP is also accused in the Hamirpur case and is behind the bars. BJP expelled Chandel after his arrest and by-polls were conducted in his constituency.

All the accused have a long criminal history and were already out on bail in other cases.

The judges who had given bail to all the accused before were terminated and have sought voluntary retirement.

Read:| Unnao rape case: Accused moves SC for extension of trial