New Delhi, Feb 21: A Delhi court today framed charges against former councillor Sharda Jain and eight others in the sensational two-year-old Congress councillor Atma Ram Gupta murder case. Additional Sessions Judge B B Chaudhary framed charges against Sharda, her brother Raj Kumar, former Chajjupura village (Uttar Pradesh) Pradhan Roshan Singh, driver Rajendra, Hitmen Pushpendra and Nirvikar, Asi Sripal Raghav, constable Satendra Kumar and sepoy Rakesh Kumar (last three from Uttar Pradesh police) for their alleged complicity in the murder of Gupta and destruction of evidence. Gupta, the councillor of Trinagar in West Delhi, was murdered after being allegedly abducted by Sharda and his accomplices from a Congress rally addressed by party president Sonia Gandhi at Ferozeshah Kotla grounds here on August 24, 2002.
The Uttar Pradesh policemen are on bail. The court had enlarged -- Asi Sripal Raghav, constable Satendra Kumar and sepoy Rakesh Kumar -- on bail after their counsel D B Goswami had argued that they had been charged with conspiracy to destroy evidence which was a bailable offence. The six others -- main accused Sharda, Raj Kumar, Roshan Singh, Rajendra, Pushpendra and Nirvikar -- will face trial for offences under Sections 302 (murder), 364 (abduction for murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

The village headman and the hitmen have been additionally charged under the Arms Act.

The trial against the accused will start on March 22.

Sharda allegedly shared an intimate relationship with Gupta and conspired to get him killed out of jealousy following his increasing proximity with another corporator Memwati Berwal, police alleged.

Gupta was murdered in Chajjupura village in Ghaziabad district on August 24, shortly after Sharda allegedly kidnapped him in her car.

Bureau Report