UP Assembly Elections 2017: Rashtriya Lok Dal candidate in Khurja, Manoj Gautam allegedly got his brother Vinod Kumar and his friend killed to gain “sympathy” votes, according to reports. Manoj, who was under financial duress, was arrested by by Uttar Pradesh Police in connection with the murder. Manoj initially worked for Bharatiya Samajwadi Party for three years and was expecting for a ticket from the BSP for this election. However, on denial of ticket, he joined the Rashtriya Lok Dal a few weeks ago. Electronic surveillance, a pistol recovered from Manoj’s residence and the statements of RLD workers pointed to his alleged involvement in the murder of Vinod Kumar Gautam and his friend Sachin in Bulandshahr’s Khurja area on Tuesday, police said.
There is a precarious connection between politics and crime in Uttar Pradesh. It was evident from this incident. During investigation, police came to know that Manoj, who was attending an election rally asked his brother Vinod and his friend to see off some people after the rally. Little later, Vinod and his friend’s phones got switched off and no one could contact them. Vinod along with his friend Sachin who left in a Scorpio SUV at 8 p.m. from Bulandshahr were found dead at Delhi-Aligarh highway in Khurja with bullet injuries to the head and chest. Police could recover a .32 bore pistol from a close family member which was used in the murder and the Scorpio was recovered from the fields where their bodies had been found.
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Incidentally when Vinod’s body returned to their village in Bulandshahr, Manoj Gautam, who was hospitalised with his brother Sanjeev was discharged and was present at the funeral of Vinod Gautam.
Talking about the incident, Pushpinder Choudhary, an RLD worker at the party’s office in Khurja, said: “They had been asked by our candidate to see off some people after the rally. A little while after they left, their mobile phones got switched off and no one knew about their whereabouts. We went looking for them but could not find them. The police was approached and an FIR was filed in the case against two persons.”
About the two accused — a party worker and an auto-driver — named in the complaint, Gaurav Gujjar, another RLD worker, said: “The party worker had joined the RLD office about a year ago. He used to look at office work here in Khurja. Since last evening, no one has seen him. We do not know about the auto-driver.”
UPDATE: Mr Manoj Kumar Gautam as well as the other accused were acquitted by the Court of Shri Vijay Pal, Special Judge, SC & ST (PA) Act, Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh vide Judgement dated 20.01.2024
(With agency inputs)