Ex-deputy mayor of Luknow, 3 others get life for Aliganj fake encounter

A local court today sentenced former deputy mayor of Lucknow and three others to life imprisonment for their involvement in a fake police encounter in Aliganj area here around 14 years ago, in which a person was killed.

Ex-deputy mayor of Lucknow Abhay Seth, then general secretary of Aliganj traders' union, Ashok Mishra and two constables--Ram Chander Singh Chandel and Shivbhushan Tiwari--were convicted by the court.

The then station officer of Aliganj, D D S Rathore and constable Munshilal were also charge sheeted in the case, but they died during trial.

Awarding the punishment, the court said the prosecution has succeeded to prove that the four were involved in the fake encounter.

Aliganj police had claimed that it had gunned down a gangster Gopal Mishra on February 26, 1994 in an encounter.

The then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh had directed the CB-CID on December 11, 1997 to register an FIR in the case.

In its probe, the CB-CID found that it was a fake encounter and submitted the charge sheet against all the accused under various sections of IPC and the Arms Act.

The court framed charges against the accused on