17 years after terror attack on Rampur CRPF camp, HC acquits five in main case

Prayagraj, Oct 29 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday set aside a trial court order that awarded capital punishment to four persons and life imprisonment to another in connection with the terrorist attack on a CRPF camp at Rampur district on the night of December 31, 2007, in which eight CRPF jawans died and five sustained injuries.

A bench comprising Justices Sidharth Verma and Ram Manohar Narain Mishra acquitted Mohd. Sharif, Sabauddin, Imran Shahjad, Mohd. Farooq and Jang Bahadur Khan on murder and other serious charges, saying the prosecution "miserably failed to prove the case against the accused for the principal offence beyond reasonable doubt".

The bench, however, found the five, including Jang Bahadur who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, guilty under Section 25 (1-A) of the Arms Act and sentenced them to ten years of rigorous imprisonment.

Besides, the court imposed a fine of Rs one lakh each on the petitioners. "The period of imprisonment undergone by the appellants will be adjusted towards the above sentence awarded to the appellants," the court added.

The five had appealed against the judgment passed by the additional district and sessions judge of Rampur on November 1, 2019, and November 2, 2019. PTI CORR RAJ RT RT