28 sentenced to life imprisonment for Chandan Gupta’s murder during 2018 Tiranga yatra in UP's Kasganj
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Jan 3, 2025, 4:09 PM ISTA special NIA court in Lucknow has sentenced 28 men to life imprisonment for their involvement in the brutal murder of Chandan Gupta, who was killed during a communal clash in Kasganj district on Republic Day in 2018.
A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Lucknow has sentenced 28 men to life imprisonment for their involvement in the brutal murder of Chandan Gupta, who was killed during a communal clash in Kasganj district on Republic Day in 2018.
The verdict, announced on Friday by Additional Sessions Judge Vivekanand Saran Tripathi, concluded the lengthy trial, with all 28 convicted individuals receiving life sentences for their roles in the murder. The court had convicted the men on multiple charges, including murder, attempt to murder, and violations under the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act, 1971.
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Chandan Gupta, an active member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), was shot dead on January 26, 2018, during a rally marking Republic Day. The rally, led by right-wing Hindu groups such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and ABVP, was intended to celebrate the national holiday with a procession involving motorcycles bearing tricolour and saffron flags. However, as the rally entered Baddunagar, a Muslim-majority locality, tensions escalated, sparking violent clashes between communities. Amidst the chaos, Gupta was fatally shot, leading to widespread unrest. Several shops, two buses, and a car were set on fire during the violence, prompting the local administration to enforce a curfew that lasted seven days.
The case was initially investigated by local authorities in Kasganj but was later transferred to the NIA court in Lucknow in 2022 for a more thorough examination. After a protracted trial, the court found the 28 men guilty of orchestrating the violence and murder, while two others, Nasiruddin and Asim Qureshi, were acquitted.
The 28 convicted individuals include prominent names such as Salim, Wasim, Nasim, Jahid ‘Jagga’, and Asiq Qureshi ‘Hitler’, among others. Of the 28, one convict, Munazir Rafi, was already incarcerated in connection with another case involving the murder of Kasganj lawyer Mohini Tomar in 2024. The remaining 27 accused were out on bail, with 26 of them surrendering before the court on Thursday, and Salim surrendering on Friday.
During the trial, the prosecution presented testimony from 18 witnesses, although one key witness, Saurabh Pal, turned hostile. The defence also brought forward 23 witnesses in an attempt to challenge the charges.
In a separate development, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging the jurisdiction of the NIA court in Lucknow. Advocates Subhash Bisaria and Amol Chitravanshi confirmed that the petition was rejected, affirming the NIA court's authority to hear the case.
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