After 300 Hearings Over 17 Years, UP Man Cleared Of Charges Caused By Police Blunder
Raj Vir was wrongly named in a 2008 case after a Kotwali inspector entered his name instead of the actual accused, his brother Ram Vir
A 62-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh, Raj Vir, was finally cleared last week in a case wrongly filed against him under the Gangsters Act—17 years after a police inspector mistakenly recorded his name instead of his brother's.
Raj Vir was wrongly named in a 2008 case after a Kotwali inspector entered his name instead of the actual accused, his brother Ram Vir. The clerical error went unnoticed for nearly two decades, forcing Raj Vir into a long legal battle that involved 300 court hearings, 22 days in jail, and deep personal and financial losses.
Speaking to the press, his lawyer Vinod Kumar Yadav said, 'My client kept pleading that he had no criminal record. Nobody heard him. He was arrested, jailed for 22 days before getting a bail, and then left to fight the system alone."
The case was first filed on August 31, 2008, under the strict Gangsters Act, which carries serious legal consequences and a strong social stigma. Though Raj Vir was granted bail shortly after his arrest, the legal ordeal continued. In 2012, the case was moved from Agra to Mainpuri, where he had to travel repeatedly to attend hearings.
'He could hardly focus on his family," said Yadav. 'His daughters, one of whom is specially-abled, are now married. But his son had to drop out of school to work as a farm labourer. Raj Vir had no money left. His savings were gone, and his reputation destroyed."
On 24 July 2024, Special Judge Swapna Deep Singhal finally exonerated Raj Vir. The court acknowledged that 'due to gross negligence by the police and authorities, an innocent person had to suffer 22 days in prison and had to contest a false case in court for 17 years."
Though the verdict clears his name, the damage caused by the prolonged trial cannot be undone. Raj Vir now lives quietly in Mainpuri, reflecting on the years lost to a mistake not of his own making.
'Justice has come," said his lawyer, 'but it should not have taken this long. No innocent man should have to beg the system for 17 years."
(With inputs from PTI)
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