UP Man Cleared After 17 Years Due to Police Error

UP Man Cleared After 17 Years in Court Due to Police Mistake

Raj Vir, a 62-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh, has finally been declared innocent after being wrongly accused in a case that dragged on for 17 years. The trouble started in 2008 when a police officer from Kotwali mistakenly entered his name instead of his brother Ram Vir’s in a criminal case filed under the tough Gangsters Act.

This small error led to big consequences. Raj Vir was arrested, spent 22 days in jail, and had to attend 300 court hearings over nearly two decades. His lawyer, Vinod Kumar Yadav, said Raj kept telling everyone he had no criminal record, but no one listened. Even after getting bail, the legal fight continued for years. In 2012, the case was shifted from Agra to Mainpuri, forcing Raj Vir to travel frequently for hearings.

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The long case deeply affected his life. His family suffered, and his specially-abled daughter needed care. His son had to leave school and work as a farm laborer. Raj Vir lost all his savings and his good name in the community.

Finally, on July 24, 2024, a special court judge, Swapna Deep Singhal, cleared Raj Vir of all charges. The court admitted that the case was a result of serious negligence by the police, which led an innocent man to suffer for 17 years.

Although justice has been served, Raj Vir cannot get back the years he lost. Now living quietly in Mainpuri, he reflects on the pain caused by one mistake. His lawyer summed it up best: “Justice came, but it came too late. No innocent person should have to suffer like this.”

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