The date was March 2, 2013, and the time was around 8:15 PM. An incident in the village of Balipur, Pratapgarh, sent shockwaves throughout Uttar Pradesh. The brutal murder of then Kunda Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jiya-Ul-Haq occurred shortly after he arrived in the village in response to reports of a double murder. The impact of this case reached as far as minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, who remains involved in the controversy even a decade later.
Recently, the Supreme Court bench ordered an investigation by the CBI into Raja Bhaiya's role in the DSP murder case. This mandate followed a petition by Jiya-Ul-Haq's wife, Parveen Azad. The court has instructed the CBI to conduct a thorough investigation and to file a report within three months. Notably, the Supreme Court overturned last year's Allahabad High Court order recognizing the case closure report.
Who was Jiya-Ul-Haq?
Jiya-Ul-Haq hailed from Noonakhar Tola Juafar village in Deoria district. Known for his amicable nature, Haq found himself under various pressures soon after his 2012 appointment as Circle Officer (CO) in Kunda. Among those who allegedly applied pressure was Kunda MLA Raja Bhaiya—an accusation made by Haq's own family.
Jiya-Ul-Haq responded to village unrest
In fact, on the evening of March 2, 2013, village head Nanne Yadav visited Kamta Pal's house in Balipur, Hathigawan, to resolve a property dispute. Suddenly, gunmen on a motorbike shot and killed Nanne Yadav before fleeing. Chaos ensued when Nanne Yadav's supporters received the news, prompting them to set Kamta Pal's house ablaze. Although the unrest prompted police notification, Kunda Inspector Sarvesh Mishra and his team couldn't reach Nanne Yadav's house in time.
With the escalating turmoil and the arrival of the village head's body at the village without postmortem, CO Jiya-Ul-Haq decided to intervene. Despite the volatile situation, Haq attempted to communicate with locals, but violence erupted, resulting in attacks against the police.
A brutal and calculated murder
Upon Jiya-Ul-Haq's and Inspector Mishra's arrival in the village, chaos unfolded and gunfire erupted. Suresh Yadav, Nanne Yadav's brother, was fatally shot during the melee, leading to an aggressive response from villagers who vilely murdered the Circle Officer.
Enraged by the loss of two individuals, the villagers savagely beat CO Jiya-Ul-Haq and ultimately shot him dead. His postmortem revealed injuries consistent with the ferocity of the attack. The gunmen assigned to protect Haq, Imran, and Vinay Kumar Singh, reportedly fled during the incident.
Around 11 PM, a large police force reached Balipur, discovering Haq's body near the head's house. Former Cabinet Minister Raja Bhaiya, along with associates such as Gulshan Yadav, faced allegations in connection with the incident.
One crime, four FIRs, and Raja Bhaiya's involvement
Four FIRs were registered in this case, the first involving the murder of Nanne Yadav, the second addressing the attack on police, the third resolving Suresh Yadav's murder, and the fourth concerning CO Jiya-Ul-Haq's assassination. An FIR filed by Inspector Manoj Shukla listed ten suspects, including the village head's sons and brothers.
Jiya-Ul-Haq's wife, Parveen, registered the final FIR that implicated Raja Bhaiya and others like Gulshan Yadav, Hari Om Srivastava, Rohit Singh, and Sanjay Singh. They faced charges under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 302, 504, 506, 120B, and CLA Act section 7.
Investigation transferred to the CBI
This high-profile murder case rocked the state government, putting the ruling Akhilesh administration under pressure from opposition critics. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav personally visited Haq's family to offer condolences. Eventually, the government transferred the investigation to the CBI to ensure transparency.
In 2013, the CBI submitted a closure report clearing Raja Bhaiya and others mentioned in Parveen's FIR, despite her pursuit of appeal. The court later overturned the closure report, dismissing its legitimacy.
Currently, the Supreme Court reopened the case, directing CBI to reinvestigate and scrutinize Raja Bhaiya's involvement. Raja Bhaiya now faces increasing challenges as the case resumes.
