Patna, Jul 5 (PTI) Bihar minister Ashok Choudhary on Sunday met the family of Bharat Tiwari, who was killed in an alleged gunfight with the police in Bhojpur district last month, and promised them that justice would be ensured after a fair investigation.
The state government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the June 17 encounter.
After meeting the bereaved family in their native village, the minister said he had learned several aspects of the case that he was previously unaware of and would apprise CM Samrat Choudhary of the developments.
“I met Bharat Tiwari’s family and assured them that they would get justice. There are many aspects of the case that I was not aware of earlier, and I have now been apprised of them. I will brief the CM on all these issues and inform him about the prevailing situation,” he said.
The minister said strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty during the inquiry.
Refuting allegations that the DSP, who led the police team during the action, had been rewarded with a promotion, Choudhary said the officer had been transferred to ensure an impartial investigation.
“It is being wrongly propagated that the DSP has been promoted. No promotion has been given. He has only been transferred so that the investigation is not affected,” he said.
The minister said the government itself had acknowledged public dissatisfaction with the officer’s functioning, which led to his transfer.
He said the role of the local sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) was also being examined.
“When the encounter took place, what was the SDM of the area doing at the spot? All these aspects are being investigated,” he said.
Choudhary also said he would speak to the chairperson of the judicial inquiry commission.
He said the very fact that the government had ordered a judicial inquiry reflected its commitment to a fair probe.
“If there was no intention to ensure justice, there would have been no need for a judicial inquiry. The government could have asked an IG-rank officer to investigate. This is not a monarchy, nor is it like Iran where punishment is arbitrary. We have a judicial system here. It may take some time, but justice will definitely be delivered,” he said.
According to police, Tiwari opened fire on officers with an illegal firearm when they attempted to arrest him on June 17. Police said they retaliated in self-defence, and Tiwari later succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
His family, however, has alleged that he had surrendered before the shooting, claiming he had thrown away his weapon and was unarmed when police opened fire. They have also referred to purported videos circulating on social media in support of their claim, though PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage. PTI PKD SOM
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