The Allahabad High court convicted 43 Cops under Sec 304 Part I involved in the Pilbith Fake Encounter case of 1991 wherein 10 Sikhs were killed.
The case dates back to 1991. On July 12, 1991, Uttar Pradesh Police personnel pulled 10 Sikhs out of a bus, shot them in three separate staged encounters, and later branded them terrorists to cover up the incident.
The Police had said that the deceased belonged to the “terrorist” outfit “Khalistan Liberation Army” and there was a vigilance report that “hardcore terrorists” of Khalistan Liberation Front were present in Pilibhit and adjoining areas and they were committing heinous crimes like murder, loot, land grabbing, etc.
“It is not the duty of the police officers to kill the accused merely because he/she is a dreaded criminal,” the court said, as per Live Law report.
“The appellants were public servants and their object was the advancement of public justice…(they) exceeded powers given to them by law, and they caused the death of deceased by doing an act which they, in good faith, believed to b lawful & necessary for the due discharge of their duty” observed the court.