Manilal Patidar, an IPS officer on the run for the last two years, surrendered in a Lucknow court without the police, which were looking for him, even getting a whiff of his plans on Monday.
Patidar, an accused in the murder of stone crusher trader Indra Kant Tripathi in 2020 was then posted as SP of Mahoba.
On September 7, 2020, Tripathi recorded a video alleging that Patidar demanded a bribe of Rs Six lakh. Besides posting this video on social media, he had also sent the video to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and then DGP Hitesh Chandra Awasthi. In the video, he specifically said that were he to die under any circumstances, Patidar should be held responsible.
A day later, Tripathi’s body was found in his vehicle. He was shot in the neck. Though he was alive when he was found, he later succumbed to the injury on September 13.
His family then filed a case of attempt to murder against Patidar. The FIR was lodged under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), and 387 (extortion), as well as the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Besides Patidar, a Station House Officer Devendra Shukla was also named accused in the FIR.
Patidar was subsequently suspended for maligning the image of the police force. While Patidar remained untraceable, Shukla, who was also suspended was arrested on November 25,
Initially, a reward of Rs 25,000 was announced for providing clues to nab Patidar and it was later increased to Rs 1 lakh.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the death had concluded that Tripathi committed suicide and that at the time of his injury, he was the only occupant in the car. The wound was inflicted by his own licensed revolver. It also found that corruption charges against Patidar were true.
Tripathi’s family had vehemently opposed the SIT’s findings insisting that even if it was true, then the team should be able to find out who had pushed Tripathi to take such a step.
The 2014 batch IPS officer had initially evaded arrest saying that he was COVID-positive and later absconded. The UP police had spread their search to neighbouring states as well.
The police’s inability to arrest Patidar was also used by the Opposition to criticise the government.
Patidar’s surrender before a Lucknow court does not offer him any respite. The Enforcement Directorate has also been on his trail and has gathered that properties worth Rs 50 crore are listed in Patidar’s name. The police will also investigate all those who sheltered Patidar for two years.
Allegations have also surfaced that Patidar was harassing contractors involved in the construction of the Bundelkhand Expressway.
The most damning speculation against the police is also that how did it not know that Patidar was to surrender in a local court in Lucknow and whether the police acted ignorant to let him avail judicial custody.
Patidar’s elder brother Ravi Kant has demanded that the death of his brother be compensated. “A full investigation and giving him the punishment he deserves is the only way we will be able to bear this loss,” he said.
