The wife of Asghar Shaikh, who was shot in an alleged targeted shooting spree in 2023, opposed the bail plea of the accused, dismissed Railway Protection Force (RPF) officer Chetan Singh Chaudhary.
His bail plea claimed that Chaudhary was mentally unstable during the attack; however, the victim’s wife, Umesa Khatoon, argued on Monday, December 8, that he would not have specifically chosen the passengers based on their attire, confirming they were Muslims before shooting them, if he was mentally unwell.
Chaudhary had opened fire in the Jaipur-Mumbai train on July 31, 2023, where he allegedly killed his senior assistant sub-inspector, Tikaram Meena, along with three Muslim passengers, Asghar Ali Abbas Shaikh, Abdul Kader Bhanpurwala, and Syed Saifuddin.
Khatoon, who acted as the intervener with the prosecution, opposed Chaudhary’s bail plea, citing ample evidence and crucial witnesses that suggest otherwise.
“It is important to note that the accused was on duty, and the protocol clearly states that a sane and sound-minded person is employed in the Railway Police Force after a thorough medical checkup,” Khatoon’s reply said.
His bail plea mentioned he had “delusion disorder,” but the prosecution and intervener opposed adding that the officer faces serious allegations, including a charge punishable by the death penalty.
“The accused mentioned some grounds in his bail application about his ill health, which is not considerable at this point. The grounds mentioned in the bail applications of the accused do not inspire confidence,” the prosecution’s reply said.
Previous bail plea rejected in 2023
The prosecution argued that Chaudhary’s health-based claims “do not inspire confidence,” pointing out that a similar request had been rejected in December 2023.
In the current bail plea, Chaudhary had claimed a change of nature after his four-month stay at a mental institute; however, the prosecution observed that he has “nothing to show” to prove an unwell mind and is in turn relying on “a Google search engine.”
So far, 16 witnesses have testified in the case, including an RPF head constable who appeared on Monday.
The intervener had also coined the case as “rarest of rare” category since Chaudhary was appointed to ensure the security of the passengers, but had instead caused their deaths. They referred to the chargesheet, which specifically states that the former RPF constable had allegedly looked for Muslim individuals across the train’s bogeys.
“The conduct and modus operandi of the accused prima facie show that he has committed cold-blooded murders of four innocent persons. He was totally in sound mind, and he was aware of the ramifications and consequences of his act,” the response said.
One of the testimonials from a Mira Road constable stated he saw Chaudhary walking with a rifle on the tracks after the chain was pulled.
The accused had reportedly threatened him moments before he was restrained, tracked and arrested, “Mere raaste se hat jao, nahi toh goli maar dunga.”(If you do not move from my way, I will shoot you.)
In one of the videos of the attack, the accused officer is purportedly seen standing next to a grievously injured passenger who is bleeding profusely. He was heard saying: “Agar vote dena hai, Hindustan mei rahna hai, to Modi aur Yogi… Yahi do hai (If you want to stay in Hindustan, vote for Yogi (UP chief minister) & Modi (Prime Minister).”
The link has disturbing visuals. Viewers’ discretion is advised.
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