After 30-year legal battle, missing man's family gets murder case registered

Jalaun (UP), Sep 18 (PTI) Thirty years after the disappearance of a man here, a murder case was registered at the Kotra police station prompted by a court order.

The court also asked the police to investigate the disappearance of the original case file.

The incident dates back to 1995, when 22-year-old Pradeep Kumar Bajpai, a resident of Subhash Nagar in Jalaun district, went missing while returning from a statue immersion ceremony.

His father Umashankar Bajpai lodged a complaint at the Kotra police station, alleging that Pradeep Kumar has been murdered by seven close relatives, including Kuldeep Narayan.

When the police failed to register an FIR, Umashankar petitioned the district court.

In October 1998, the court ordered the police to register the case, but the order was not followed.

Undeterred, Umashankar then appealed to the High Court which, on June 18, 2025, directed the district judge to ensure that the case was registered.

By this time, Umashankar Bajpai passed away, but his younger son Devendra Bajpai continued the legal fight. A significant development in the case was the disappearance of all related documents.

In compliance with the High Court order, the court of judicial magistrate here issued a directive on September 10, asking the Kotra Police to file the case. Subsequently, an FIR was registered under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code on September 11.

Superintendent of Police Durgesh Kumar said that an investigation will be launched to gather evidence and record witness statements.

"Action will be taken against the accused based on findings of the investigation," he said.

He added that the court has also ordered an investigation into how the original case file went missing. PTI COR CDN RUK RUK