Lucknow, Jan 3 (PTI) A special NIA court here sentenced 28 convicts to life imprisonment on Friday in connection with the Kasganj violence case.


Special judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi also imposed a fine of Rs 80,000 on each convict.


On January 2, the special NIA court here convicted 28 people in connection with the murder of Chandan Gupta, who was shot dead in a communal clash that broke out during a 2018 Tiranga Yatra in Kasganj.


The accused were convicted on charges of murder, attempted murder, rioting and insulting the national flag.


The case drew significant attention after Chandan Gupta's death sparked riots in the region.


The court on Friday sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment.


Earlier, on the quantum of sentence, the court heard the pleas of the defence as well as the prosecution, which had demanded the severest punishment for all the convicts.


The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court acquitted Nasiruddin and Asim Qureshi, citing a lack of sufficient evidence to convict them.


On the morning of January 26, 2018, Chandan Gupta and his brother Vivek Gupta took part in a Tiranga Yatra. When the procession reached the Government Girls Inter College gate on Tehsil Road, a group, including Salim, Wasim and Naseem, allegedly blocked the road and stopped the procession, a government counsel said.


When Chandan objected, the situation escalated and stone-pelting began from the side of the accused, the lawyer said.


Salim, one of the main accused, shot Chandan, he said. Despite the grave injury, Vivek and their companions managed to rush Chandan to the Kasganj police station, from where he was immediately transferred to the district hospital where he was declared dead shortly after arrival.


The murder of Chandan led to widespread riots in Kasganj for three days, fueling communal tensions in the region. Chandan's father Sushil Gupta lodged a murder complaint.


In September 2019, the Kasganj Sessions Court framed charges against 23 individuals. Later, in November 2019, charges were framed against an additional seven persons.


The charges included Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 307/149 (attempted murder), 302/149 (murder), 341 (wrongful restraint), 336 (endangerment), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), and Section 124K (insult to national flag) of the Indian Penal Code. Additionally, several of the accused faced charges under the Arms Act for possession of firearms.


The trial was transferred to the Lucknow court after initial proceedings in Kasganj.


Kasganj violence verdict: Victim Chandan Gupta's family to push for harsher punishment


Lucknow, Jan 3 (PTI) As an NIA court here sentenced 28 convicts in the 2018 Kasganj violence case, victim Chandan Gupta's family on Friday expressed satisfaction at the verdict but vowed to continue its fight for harsher penalties for the main accused and those acquitted.


The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Lucknow earlier in the day sentenced 28 people to life imprisonment for their role in the 2018 Kasganj communal violence during which 22-year-old Chandan Gupta, a local resident, was killed in a clash during a ''Tiranga Yatra'.


Speaking to PTI Videos shortly after the verdict, Gupta's brother, Vivek Gupta, said their fight was not over and they will approach the high court seeking death penalty for the culprits.


"In our own country, my brother was brutally murdered, and today, the honourable court has sentenced the guilty to life imprisonment. We are satisfied with this decision, but we will also appeal in the high court to demand the death penalty for the main accused," Vivek said.


He also expressed disappointment with the acquittal of two accused. "We will appeal in the high court to ensure that those two accused are also punished," he added.


District Government Advocate Manoj Kumar Tripathi, who represented the government in the case, said the judgment delivered strict punishments, including life imprisonment for all convicts.


"Each convict has been sentenced to life imprisonment and an additional three years for dishonouring the flag," he told reporters.


When asked about the two acquitted individuals, Tripathi said, "We will analyse the judgment and appeal their acquittal in the high court." Reacting to the court's decision, Uttar Pradesh minister and BJP leader Dayashankar Singh commended the government's efforts in ensuring convictions.


"The family of Chandan Gupta demanded justice, and the government thoroughly investigated the case and presented concrete evidence before the court. As a result, the court has swiftly delivered this judgment. We respect the court's decision," Singh told PTI Videos.


BJP spokesperson Sameer Singh said that the Uttar Pradesh government, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has prioritised justice in heinous crimes.


"The Kasganj case is one of the many such incidents where the state government has ensured timely justice through efficient police and administrative action. Convictions in these cases reflect the government's commitment to cracking down on offenders swiftly," Singh said.


Regarding the family's plan to appeal the acquittals, he added, "Higher courts are always open for such matters, and the government will extend full support to the family in seeking justice."


(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)