Apple Exec Murder: FIR Filed For Objectionable Posts in Favour of Accused Constables

Lucknow: Taking note of objectionable social media posts in favour of constables allegedly involved in the killing of an Apple executive last week, an FIR has been registered against unnamed people here, while a constable in Raebareli has been suspended in a similar matter, police said on Friday.

Vivek Tiwari, an Apple executive was shot dead by police constables in Lucknow, allegedly in 'self-defence'. According to Sana Khan, Tiwari's colleague who was with him during the encounter, one of the constables, Prashant Chowdhury put his gun against the car's windshield and fatally shot Tiwari.

After the arrest of two constables, Prashant Chowdhury and Sandeep Kumar, some people claiming themselves to be their batchmates and sympathisers have launched a campaign on social media in their favour and also sought donations for the accused.

Also read: A Chronicle of the Crime Fiction That is Adityanath's Encounter Raj

"An FIR has been registered at Hazratganj police station here on Thursday against unnamed people under the Police (Incitement to Disaffection) Act, and cyber teams are looking at such posts to take the case to a logical end," a senior police official said here.

The Act has a provision of maximum punishment of six months against whosoever intentionally causes or attempts to cause or does any act which he knows is likely to cause disaffection towards the government or among the members of police force.

"Rumours are being spread on social media. We have taken the matter seriously and surveillance is going on to track such people. It has come to the fore that some constables terminated from service are involved in it," the DIG said.

He said in one such matter, an FIR has been registered against constable Sarvesh Chowdhury, and he has been suspended and disciplinary action has been initiated against him.

Sarvesh had released an 11-minute video in which he claims that he had offered and had been collecting money for Prashant and also took swipes at political leaders and top police officials.

Clarifying the situation, the DIG said, "Some people posing as policemen and anti-social elements are involved in it. We will take strict action."

Also read: Apple Exec Killing: UP Law and Order a Joke, Says Minister Rajbhar; Family Meets Adityanath

About reports that constables were collecting money to help their arrested colleagues, DGP O.P. Singh had on Thursday said, "We have alerted our officers and a close watch is being kept on social media. The officers have been asked to interact with constables and tell them about the incident and explain them circumstances under which they were arrested and dismissed."

Earlier this week, Tiwari's wife and family met chief minister Adityanath and demanded strict action against the guilty. They also put forth a list of demands, including a job for his wife, all of which were accepted by the chief minister.

Since the BJP was elected to power in March 2017, the UP police have been notorious for 'encounter' killings. In a span of 14 months, the police said 1,478 encounters had been carried out.

In February this year, the NHRC observed that police personnel in Uttar Pradesh were “misusing their power”. In a notice sent to the state government after a 25-year-old man in Noida was killed by a sub-inspector, the commission said the personnel seemed to have "undeclared support from higher ups". The sub-inspector had termed the killing as an encounter.

(With PTI inputs)

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