Police File Chargesheet Against Sacked RPF Constable For Killing Colleague, 3 Passengers On Train

The 1206-page chargesheet has the statements of eye-witnesses, the victim's family members and a railway employee who was in the pantry at the time of the incident.

New Delhi: Police on Friday filed a chargesheet against Chetan Singh Chaudhary, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable who shot dead four people, including his senior colleague onboard Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express on July 31, news agency PTI reported. The 1206-page chargesheet, submitted by Government Railway Police (GRP) before a magistrate's court in Borivali, has the statements of eye-witnesses, the victim's family members and a railway employee who was in the pantry at the time of the incident.

“CCTV footage inside the train as well as videos shot by some passengers -- where Chaudhary is seen speaking and which had gone viral on social media -- too are part of the evidence accompanying the chargesheet,” PTI quoted a GRP official as saying.

Citing safety concerns, the GRP said the accused was being produced before the court via video conference. Chaudhary has been shifted to a prison on Maharashtra’s Akola district.

"In such circumstances, kindly commit the case to sessions court in the absence of Chaudhary's physical presence," the GRP said in an application. A copy of the chargesheet would be served to the accused in prison, the police further told the court.

However, Chaudhary's lawyer advocate Jaywant Patil said the legal proceedings should be carried out in his client’s presence and requested the court to issue a production warrant for Chaudhary, PTI reported.

The matter was adjourned till November 2.  

The incident took place on board Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express near Palghar railway station. Chaudhary allegedly first shot dead his senior colleague RPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Tikaram Meena and another passenger with his automatic weapon. He then shot dead a second passenger in the pantry car and another in S6 coach.

Chaudhary was later nabbed with his service weapon.

He has been booked under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) and relevant provisions of the Railways Act and the Maharashtra Prevention Of Defacement of Property Act.