Jharkhand: CBI court sentences three to life in Rupesh Pandey murder case
Ranchi: A special CBI court in Ranchi on Thursday sentenced three convicts to life imprisonment for the 2022 murder of teenager Rupesh Pandey, a case that had triggered widespread outrage and communal tension across Jharkhand.
The convicts — Mohammad Aslam Ansari alias Pappu Mian, Mohammad Gufran and Mohammad Kaif — were each sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 each.
The court ordered that failure to pay the fine would invite additional punishment. Following the sentencing, all three were taken into judicial custody and lodged in jail.
On February 2, the special court had found the three guilty after hearing final arguments from both the prosecution and the defence. Two other accused — Mohammad Irfan and Istakhar Mian — were acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence to establish their involvement.
The case relates to the Barhi police station area of Hazaribagh district. On the evening of February 6, 2022, 17-year-old Rupesh Pandey had gone with his uncle to watch the Saraswati Puja immersion procession.
According to the prosecution, a mob allegedly led by Ansari surrounded Rupesh near the immersion site and brutally assaulted him, leading to his death.
The killing sparked massive public outrage across the state, with protests and tense law-and-order situations reported in several districts of Jharkhand.
Initially, 27 people were named as accused in the FIR registered at Barhi police station. However, following the investigation, the local police filed a charge sheet against only five accused.
Seeking justice, Pandey’s mother approached the Jharkhand High Court, questioning the fairness of the investigation. Taking note of the seriousness of the allegations, the High Court ordered a probe by the CBI.
The CBI subsequently took over the case and conducted a fresh investigation. The trial was held before a designated special CBI court in Ranchi.
During the trial, the prosecution was represented by Special Public Prosecutor Priyanshu Singh, who argued the case on behalf of the CBI.