Chetan Singh’s action of killing ASI Tikaram Meena and three Muslim passengers, Asgar Ali Abbas Shaikh, Abdul Kader Bhanpurwala, and Syed Saifuddin, was deliberate and premeditated, the police claim.
Team Clarion
MUMBAI — The police have opposed bail to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable, Chetan Singh, accused of murdering in cold blood one of his seniors and three Muslim passengers on the Jaipur-Mumbai train on July 31.
Opposing Singh’s bail plea in the court here on Friday, the police maintained that the killings were deliberate and premeditated.
The Borivali Railway police in its reply to the bail application also said that Singh had identified the three passengers based on their attire and appearance to be from a particular community owing to anger and grudge towards them.
Singh is facing charges including murder, promoting enmity on grounds of religion for the deaths of his senior ASI Tikaram Meena, and three Muslim passengers, Asghar Ali Abbas Shaikh, Abdul Kader Bhanpurwala, and Syed Saifuddin, with his service rifle on the train.
“On the day of the incident, the accused told his senior ASI Tikaram Meena that he was not feeling well and should be permitted to get down at the next station. His senior consulted other officials and told Chetan to rest on the train till it reached its destination in Mumbai and take treatment there. Only for this, Chetan fired at Meena and three passengers causing the loss of four innocent lives by firing at them through his official firearm. If such a person is granted bail, it could lead to loss of faith in the judicial system for both the victims’ families and society at large,” the police reply stated, according to an Indian Express report.
“If bail is granted, it could also create a negative image about the law in society and create fear, panic, and insecurity among certain religious groups,” the reply stated.
It added that Singh went to different bogies of the train identifying the three passengers before killing them, stating that he was aware of his actions. Singh in his bail application filed last month said that he was suffering from a delusional disorder. The police said the documents referred to by Singh on mental illness do not relate to the crime.
It also added that if granted bail, Singh may threaten witnesses, including the passengers on the train, whom he had threatened to kill, and may also repeat the offence since he is trained to operate a firearm. The reply also said that while in police custody, the accused did not appear to have any remorse.
One of the family members of the victims, who has been permitted to intervene in the case, also filed a plea opposing the bail. The wife of Shaikh opposed the plea stating that the claims of Singh having a delusional disorder was an ‘afterthought’.
“That it is a case of venom of hate is filled in the heart of the accused for a particular community, which is apparent from the statements of the eyewitnesses,” the plea said, adding that there was prima facie evidence including a video where Singh is seen talking about the crime on the train. The reply also said that while Singh was supposed to be a rakshak (protector) of the passengers, he had attacked them instead.
On December 2, Singh’s lawyers had sought to produce him before the court following which the court had issued a production warrant. But Singh was not brought before the court Friday. The court will hear arguments on his bail plea on December 16.
