Jodhpur: The Delhi branch of CBI has registered an FIR against five police personnel in the Naveen alias Lovely Kandara encounter case.
Those named in the FIR are the then SHO of Ratanada police station Leela Ram and constables Jitendra Singh, Kishan Singh, Ankit and Vishal. The then Ashok Gehlot Government in Rajasthan had handed over the case pertaining to the encounter of Lovely on October 13, 2021 in which the latter the died of bullet injuries.
Encounter could have been prevented
It is alleged that Lovely was in his car near Senapati Chauraha on October 13. Leela Ram, in plainclothes, went to the car with a pistol in his hand and tried to break its window prompting Lovely drive away. Leela Ram could have fired at the car's tyres but instead he chased it in his personal verhicle. This was confirmed in the CCTV footage of the locality. On Banad Road, Leela Ram overtook Lovely's car. He then got out and fired at Lovely who died on the spot. Lovely's car was occupied by six people two of whom managed to escape from the spot and three people were arrested.
Police personnel suspended
After a few videos went viral, Lovely's accused Leela Ram of deliberately shooting Lovely to death. The family had accused Leela Ram and others of Lovely's murder. The family members of Lovely and others sat on a dharna outside the mortuary at Mathuradas Mathur Hospital. Rashtriya Loktantrik Party leader Hanuman Beniwal was also present. The family refused to take Lovely's body. The government then sent ADG Ravi Prakash Mehara to the spot for talks with the agitators. After this, Lovely's last rites were performed. On October 17, Commissioner Josh Mohan suspended Leela Ram and the four constables. After this, Lovely's last rites were performed.
The demand for CBI investigation gained momentum
However, on October 26, DCP East Bhuvan Bhushan reinstated the five police personnel including Leela Ram. It was clearly written in the order that the police had conducted a investigation on its own in which the allegations were not found to be proven. The then Police Commissioner had said that the reinstatement had been done after looking at all the angles. After this, the Valmiki community became furious and staged a dharna for several days in front of the Collectorate and the demand for a CBI investigation gained momentum. The Ashok Gehlot Government also made the recommendation. In November 2023, the government again wrote a letter to the CBI. Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal had also raised the matter in the Parliament.
