10-year jail for 3 traffic cops for 2010 murder bid on Ghaziabad ACP

BAREILLY: A court has sentenced three traffic police officers and an auto driver to 10 years in prison for attempting to kill the then ASP while she was cracking down on an extortion racket targeting truck drivers on Sept 2, 2010. The convicted officers — Ravindra Singh, Ravendra Singh, and Manoj Kumar Singh — along with auto driver Dharmendra Kumar (Ravindra's brother), tried to run over ASP (traffic) Kalpana Saxena as she attempted to arrest them in the Cantt police station area in Bareilly.
Saxena, now the additional police commissioner of Ghaziabad, told TOI, "I am satisfied that justice has been served. This judgment sends a strong message that people in uniform cannot take the law into their hands. All the three involved were also dismissed from the department."
The senior IPS officer pointed out flaws in the investigation and said: "The investigating officer failed to recover the car used in the crime and the money extorted from truck drivers. Due to this, bribery charges could not be proven, causing delays in the judgment."
The court of special judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) Suresh Kumar Gupta convicted the four under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 333 (causing grievous hurt to a public servant performing duty), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of them.
In her police complaint, Saxena said she was on duty at the Chowki intersection with constables Sanjay Singh, Rishipal and Jeet Singh when she received information about traffic police personnel extorting money from truck drivers near a shrine in the Cantt area. Upon reaching the location, she saw trucks parked by the roadside, while a car with several individuals inside was parked across the road. Her arrival caused panic among those present.
As she attempted to apprehend the suspects, Manoj started the car and drove towards her with the intent to run her over. She managed to evade the attack but grabbed Manoj's neck inside the moving vehicle, ordering him to stop. However, the accused did not comply. Ravindra, who was seated in the back, restrained her hands as she was dragged along. She sustained multiple injuries and was later hospitalised.
Additional district govt counsel (ADGC) Manoj Bajpai confirmed that the accused were earlier out on bail, but their bail bonds were cancelled following the verdict. All four have now been sent to jail.