Allahabad High Court Calls for CBI Probe
The Allahabad High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct an inquiry into the alleged encounter of Chhotkau alias Allauddin, who was accused of attempting to shoot at police officers. This order comes from Justice Subhash Vidyarthi, who expressed skepticism over the authenticity of the First Information Report (FIR) filed against Chhotkau, who was shot in both legs by police in May 2025.
Case Details and Court’s Concerns
The incident involved a police squad comprising 13 officers and a 10-member SWAT team, who were reportedly intimidated by Chhotkau, who allegedly possessed a country-made pistol with only two cartridges. The High Court found it peculiar that such a well-armed police force required reinforcements against a single individual.
Justice Vidyarthi questioned the accuracy of the FIR, noting the frequent occurrence of police encounters in Uttar Pradesh where suspects are shot in the legs. The Court observed that such encounters often involve allegations of indiscriminate firing by suspects, yet police officers remain unharmed while the suspects are injured.
The Court highlighted the implausibility of the police narrative, pointing out that 13 officers had allegedly traveled in a single government vehicle and then split into multiple teams, which seemed physically and legally improbable.
Previous Legal Context
Chhotkau had been previously convicted in a 2012 case involving the rape and murder of a six-year-old, which was later overturned by the Supreme Court in September 2022 due to discrepancies in the prosecution’s evidence. This acquittal, along with doubts about the police’s version of the encounter, prompted the High Court to order the CBI investigation.
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Next Steps
The High Court has stayed the operation of an earlier order by the Additional Sessions Judge, Shravasti, which rejected Chhotkau’s discharge plea. The case is scheduled for further hearing on November 23, 2026. Advocates Nadeem Murtaza, Utkarsh Srivastava, Prashast Puri, Niharika Srivastava, and Parth Anand represented Chhotkau, while Additional Government Advocate GD Bhatt represented the state.
