11 cops convicted 35 years after Raja Man Singh's encounter killing

A special CBI court in Mathura declared 11 policemen, including a former deputy Superintendent of Police (SP), guilty on Tuesday in the murder of former titular king of Rajasthan’s Bharatput, Raja Man Singh.

Their sentence will be announced on Wednesday (July 22).

The CBI had presented the charge sheet against 18 police personnel; four of them died during trials and three others were acquitted. The convicted police officials included Kan Singh Bhati who was the deputy SP of Deeg in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur.

The CBI verdict came 35 years after Singh was killed in police firing. More than 1,700 hearings were held to give the judgement.

Raja Man Singh was the younger brother of last ruler of Bharatpur, Maharaja Sawai Vrijendra Singh, and son of Maharaja Kishan Singh. He studied engineering in England and was a seven-time Independent MLA from Deeg from 1952 to 1984.

Raja Man Singh’s daughter Krishnendra Kaur Deepa was the tourism minister in the last BJP government in Rajasthan.

The CBI court hearing was shifted to Mathura from Rajasthan after Krishnendra Kaur Deepa filed a plea.

Man Singh was shot dead along with his two supporters in police firing in February 1985 after an incident of violence in which chief minister Shiv Charan Mathur’s helicopter was damaged.

The CM had come to campaign for Congress candidate from Deeg, retired IAS officer Vijendra Singh, who was contesting against Man Singh.

The chief minister was scheduled to address an election meeting in support of Singh. Ahead of the meeting, Congress workers removed flags and banners of Raja Man Singh. Thsi reportedly infuriated Singh, who went to the meeting venue with his supporters in his Jonga Jeep.

A commotion ensued and he damaged the chief minister’s helicopter with his Jeep. The CM was rescued by the security personnel.

Singh’s daughter Krishnendra Kaur Deepa alleged that after police registered complaint against her father, he was going to surrender himself before police but deputy SP Kan Singh Bhati with heavy police forces stopped his jeep in Anaj Mandi in Deeg and opened fire.

Singh and his two supporters – Thakur Sumer Singh and Thakur Hari Singh were killed in the firing.

The killing of Man Singh triggered in a political storm, resulting in the Mathur’s resignation two days later.