Prayagraj: In a writ petition alleging a fake encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Police, the Allahabad high court has sought reports from senior UP Police officers and their Rajasthan counterparts after conflicting versions emerged over the arrest of a theft accused in Jaipur and the subsequent police encounter in Firozabad, UP.A bench comprising Justice Ajay Bhanot and Justice Divesh Chandra Samant passed the order while hearing a writ petition filed by Riya Gautam, the wife of the accused, Awadhesh. In an order dated Sept 2, the HC directed the Additional Director General of Police, Agra Zone, to file his personal affidavit regarding the encounter. It simultaneously directed the Jaipur police commissioner to send a report concerning the incident.The court also directed that a copy of its order be communicated to the Jaipur police commissioner through the registrar general of the Rajasthan HC.The petitioner had complained to the Rajasthan Police that around 10 pm on Dec 5, 2025, police had reached her husband’s company in Jaipur and took him away without any reason and without informing the family. Acting on her complaint, the Rajasthan Police an inquiry into the complaint.The communication issued by the Jaipur ACP stated that Awadhesh was wanted in a theft case registered at a police station in Firozabad. The Rajasthan Police report further stated that he had subsequently been sent to judicial custody in Firozabad and that Jaipur police personnel had accompanied the UP Police team to provide assistance.However, the high court noted that the FIR version was at variance with the Rajasthan Police account regarding the arrest.As per the prosecution case set out in the FIR, an informer had provided the police with the whereabouts of Awadhesh. He and his co-accused were allegedly found near cold storage on the road going to Chittrai in Firozabad.The FIR/prosecution version stated that the accused challenged the police personnel and attacked them with firearms. It was claimed that in the ensuing encounter, Awadhesh sustained a gunshot injury.While the Rajasthan Police account stated that the accused was taken from Jaipur by the Firozabad Police in connection with the theft case, the UP FIR contained a different account, alleging that he was found in Firozabad with co-accused and attacked the police team with firearms before being injured in an encounter.In view of these contrasting claims, the petitioner’s counsel alleged before the high court that her husband had been injured in a fake encounter allegedly carried out by police to burnish their credentials.The matter has been listed for Sept 17.
