Rajasthan: Wife moves court alleging fake encounter in Anandpal Singh case

Jaipur, Aug 14 (IANS) The 2017 Anandpal Singh encounter case from Malasar village in Churu district has taken a new turn as Anandpal’s wife, Raj Kanwar, has filed a petition in the District and Sessions Court of Churu, alleging the encounter was fake and seeking compliance with Supreme Court directives in the matter.

Filed on August 13 through advocate Narendra Singh Rathore, the petition claims that the CBI court has already declared the encounter as fake.

Despite this, Raj Kanwar alleges, several police officers involved were granted out-of-turn promotions and gallantry awards, in violation of the Supreme Court’s order dated September 23, 2014. That order clearly states that such honours cannot be conferred immediately after an encounter unless the act of bravery is proven beyond doubt.

The petition urges the court to immediately revoke all benefits awarded to the officers involved and to initiate legal proceedings against them.

It also calls for strict adherence to the apex court’s guidelines in similar cases, arguing that such compliance is essential to uphold the rule of law and maintain public faith in the justice system.

Anandpal Singh, a notorious figure with 24 criminal cases against him—including murder, robbery, and kidnapping—was killed in an encounter on June 24, 2017, in Malasar village by Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) and other units.

His family and supporters have consistently maintained that the encounter was staged, sparking widespread protests across Rajasthan at the time.

The case has remained contentious for years, with repeated demands for an independent probe.

Raj Kanwar’s latest legal move seeks not only to challenge the legitimacy of the police action but also to highlight what she describes as blatant disregard for judicial orders.

With the petition now before the Churu court, the matter is expected to reignite debates over alleged fake encounters, police accountability, and the enforcement of Supreme Court guidelines in such cases.

The court’s decision could have far-reaching implications for the officers involved and for the handling of encounter cases in India, said officials.

--IANS

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