Ghaziabad ‘Encounter’ Case Takes New Turn as Court Orders FIR Against Woman Police Officer

Ghaziabad, October 26: The alleged encounter case at the Crossing Republic Police Station in Ghaziabad has taken a dramatic new turn after the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court No. 7 ordered the filing of an FIR against the station’s woman in-charge, Inspector Sarita Malik.

The court’s decision came after police repeatedly failed to produce CCTV footage from the station despite multiple directives. The accused in the case have claimed that the so-called encounter was staged and that they were shot at after being taken into custody. A pen drive submitted as evidence is said to have contradicted the police version of events.

According to the official police statement, the encounter took place on the morning of October 26, when a team led by Inspector Sarita Malik arrested four alleged criminals — Irfan Gazi, Shadab, Aman Garg, and Naseem Khan — who were reportedly travelling in an autorickshaw. The police claimed that two of the suspects were shot in the leg during the exchange of fire and identified the men as members of a gang involved in multiple chain-snatching and robbery incidents targeting women.

A press briefing following the incident claimed that police recovered an autorickshaw, two pistols, live cartridges, a mobile phone, and gold ornaments from the scene.

However, the defence counsel has presented a starkly different version before the court. According to the lawyer, the four men had already been arrested prior to October 26 and were being held in the police station lock-up. They were allegedly taken out of custody and later shot to fabricate an encounter. The defence described the incident as a “fake encounter” and demanded an impartial probe.

Taking serious note of the allegations, the court directed police to submit CCTV footage from the station. The police initially cited “technical issues” and later claimed that releasing the footage could compromise the identity of informants. The court rejected these arguments outright. Subsequently, the defence presented a pen drive purportedly containing relevant CCTV recordings.

Observing that the police’s conduct amounted to contempt of judicial orders, the court ordered the registration of a case against Inspector Sarita Malik. Legal experts believe that the CCTV evidence could play a decisive role in determining the authenticity of the encounter.

Local police officials have declined to comment on the matter, citing the ongoing investigation. However, the court’s directive has cast serious doubt over the official version of events and intensified calls for accountability within the force.