Property Firm Owner in Pilibhit Arrested Over Employee's Suicide
In a tragic incident that has stirred legal and political controversy in Pilibhit, the owner of a property dealing firm has been arrested on charges of abetment to suicide. This follows the death of a 25-year-old employee, Anil Pal, who was found hanging on February 13, leading to a complex investigation involving allegations of murder and procedural irregularities.
Details of the Incident and Initial Investigation
Anil Pal was discovered hanging from the outer wall of his employer's office in Pilibhit. His body was promptly sent for an autopsy, which confirmed that the cause of death was hanging, indicating suicide. However, the case took a dramatic turn when Pal's brother, Ramautar (37), filed a complaint alleging murder. This led to the registration of an FIR under BNS section 103, which pertains to murder, based on Ramautar's claims.
According to the complaint, Anil Pal had been employed at Madhur Vani Infra, a property firm owned by Ved Prakash Kashyap. Pal reportedly discovered an alleged illicit relationship between Kashyap and a female employee, which prompted him to quit his job a few days prior to the incident. Surprisingly, Kashyap rehired Pal on February 11, just two days before the tragedy.
Allegations of Foul Play and Political Intervention
Ramautar alleged that on February 13, Pal was called to Kashyap's office at 4:30 am under the pretext of urgent work. Around 6:30 am, two unidentified men informed the family of Pal's death. The complainant accused Kashyap, along with his lover and others, of killing Pal and staging the scene to make it appear as a suicide.
The case gained political attention when Sanjay Singh Gangwar, the BJP MLA and Minister of State for Sugarcane Development and Sugar Industry in Pilibhit city, intervened. He directed SP Sukirti Madhav to suspend Pilibhit Kotwali SHO Satyendra Kumar Yadav for failing to register a murder case initially. Following this intervention, an FIR was lodged under section 103 for murder.
Arrest and Legal Discrepancies
Despite the murder FIR, Ved Prakash Kashyap was arrested on Monday for abetment to suicide. This arrest occurred even though the FIR had not been formally converted to section 108, which deals with abetment of suicide. Kashyap was produced before a remand magistrate around 5 pm under section 108, but the court approved his remand under section 103, highlighting a significant legal discrepancy.
When questioned about this inconsistency, SP Sukirti Madhav explained that after registering the murder FIR, investigators gathered evidence pointing to Kashyap's role in abetting Pal's suicide. Based on this evidence, he was arrested for abetment to suicide, even as the FIR remained under the murder section.
Legal Experts Criticize Arrest as Constitutional Violation
The arrest has drawn sharp criticism from legal experts. Supreme Court lawyer Sharddha Sexena and Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench lawyer Shashank Singh have argued that arresting Kashyap for abetment to suicide before formally altering the FIR from murder to abetment of suicide constitutes an apparent violation of Article 21 of the Constitution. This article guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, and the lawyers contend that the procedural lapse undermines legal safeguards.
This case underscores the complexities in handling suicide and murder allegations, with ongoing investigations likely to focus on reconciling the evidence with the legal charges. The community in Pilibhit awaits further developments as authorities navigate the tangled web of accusations and legal protocols.
