Two years after a gruesome killing rocked Jharkhand, a CBI court in Ranchi has pronounced life imprisonment for three convicts in the Rupesh Pandey murder case. The February 2022 incident during a Hazaribagh Saraswati Puja procession saw Mohammad Aslam Ansari (Pappu Miyan), Mohammad Gufran, and Mohammad Kaif found guilty, fined Rs 10,000 each.
Following their February 2 conviction, the court ordered their judicial remand without delay. Two others, Mohammad Irfan and Istkhar Miyan, secured acquittals on evidential shortcomings.
On that fateful day in Barhi, 17-year-old Rupesh accompanied his uncle to witness the immersion. A mob under Aslam’s influence trapped and killed him mercilessly, igniting statewide protests and unrest.
Barhi police filed against 27 nominees but prosecuted five. Victim’s kin approached Jharkhand High Court, leading to CBI takeover and Case No. 1/2024.
Prosecutor Priyanshu Singh’s courtroom prowess ensured convictions.
The verdict transcends retribution, embodying justice’s triumph over mob rule. It bolsters faith in institutions handling communally charged cases, urging better policing at events to prevent recurrences.