Palghar train firing: Court charges ex-RPF cop with murder, promoting enmity

Mumbai: A Mumbai court on Wednesday charged dismissed RPF constable Chetansinh Chaudhary, accused of shooting dead four persons on a moving train in Palghar last year, with murder and promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion.

Chaudhary, lodged at a jail in Akola, located around 550 kms from here, was produced before the court which framed the charges against him, paving the way for commencement of trial in the case. The incident took place on July 31 last year on board the moving Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express near Palghar railway station in Maharashtra.

Chaudhary was nabbed with his weapon later while trying to flee after passengers pulled the chain of the train which stopped near Mira Road station (on the Mumbai suburban network).

He had allegedly shot dead Railway Protection Force (RPF) Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena and three other passengers on board the train.

Chaudhary has been charged under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) and others, and relevant provisions of the Railways Act and the Maharashtra Prevention Of Defacement of Property Act.

When Additional Sessions Judge N L More enquired with the accused about the crime, Chaudhary inadvertently pleaded guilty.

However, after being counselled by his lawyers, the accused changed his statement to "not guilty".

Earlier, while arguing over framing of the charges, the prosecution narrated the incident to the court and reiterated his alleged role in the crime.

However, Chaudhary's advocates Jaywant Patil and Surendra Landage submitted that the accused had not been well and he needed rest. Had he been given rest, the incident would not have happened, they claimed.

On the charge under IPC 153A, the defence claimed it does not stand as none of the witnesses except a woman has claimed that Chaudhary made communal statements.

After hearing both the sides, the court framed charges against the accused.

The case will be heard next on August 20.

Meanwhile, the court allowed Chaudhary to meet his wife inside the court premises.

Talking to mediapersons, she claimed Chaudhary was not well, he had a brain clot and hence was not aware of anything (incident).