Men of Gangster Sundar Bhati Allegedly Stalk Judge Who Sentenced Him: UP Police Launch Probe
A threatening incident reported by a judge who had earlier pronounced life-term for notorious gangster Sundar Bhati has sent down the chill. Dr Anil Kumar, who presently heads a special court dealing with cases under the Election Commission Act, had filed a complaint against a group of armed men in a Bolero SUV who reportedly pursued his vehicle along the Aligarh-Palwal Highway while he was on his way home to Noida from Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh for Diwali.
Five unidentified men with weapons followed the car of the judge for a considerable distance before turning a U-turn and running back towards Sofa Nahar Police Station. According to his account, it was after this intimidation attempt that the judge became apprehensive about the safety of his person due to possible orchestrated alert from Bhati gang members.
Suspected Retaliation at behest of Former Judgment
The judge appears worried after his two back-to-back judgments against Bhati, who is a high-profile gangster from western Uttar Pradesh. Last year, while he was stationed in Noida, Dr Kumar had awarded life imprisonment to Sundar Bhati and other accused for their role in the murder of Samajwadi Party leader Harendra Nagar and his security guard. Over 60 cases have been registered against Bhati, and with his murderous design against the police, the judge feared this might even drag him into Bhati and his gang's earlier convictions.
Incident Details and Initial Police Response
As detailed in the complaint, those people in the Bolero SUV were strangers to the judge, and the car bore license plates from Aligarh. The magistrate observes that there was no episode of accident or a scuffle before the chase was launched as it is more of an intended threat than an impromptu faceoff. Local police have opened an investigation on tracing the Bolero and finding out the names of people involved.
Inspector Bhati was released from Sonbhadra Jail on bail on October 23, six days before this stalking incident. This proximity of his release to this threatening event seems to have furthered the suspicion that Bhati's network is trying to intimidate those who have worked against him.
The Notorious Sundar Bhati and His Criminal Network
The man who has become notorious as part of one of western Uttar Pradesh's most violent gang wars is Sundar Bhati. Originally from Ghaghola village in Greater Noida, the bad blood runs for decades deep for Bhati and has included offenses from extortion to high-profile murders. Bhati's feud with former district council president Naresh Bhati escalated into a well-publicized gang war, which placed him at the center of a number of violent incidents across the region.
The gangster's clout runs even beyond western Uttar Pradesh. His name was recently rumored to be linked with Sunny Singh, the key accused in the sensational murder of mafia don Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf inside a police station earlier this year. Which again explains the extent and brazenness of Bhati's criminal syndicate.
Steps ahead in the probe
This case is being taken seriously enough by law enforcement agencies. In the meanwhile, surveillance on the Bolero SUV registered in Aligarh is going on and more security checks are likely to be on the judge along with his family. Police are also analyzing any recent movement in Bhati's network, which could offer leads in the identification of the culprits.
This incident highlights the risks at which officials carrying out bold operations against organized crime are at, with public safety and judicial integrity at risk. The case will bring those directly involved in the stalking allegations in for questioning while also tackling concerns on higher levels of gangster retaliation against the judicial system.
