News Citation : 2026 LN (HC) 137 | 2026:CGHC:3255-DB
January 20, 2026 : High Court of Chhattisgarh has upheld the life imprisonment awarded to four men in a chilling double murder and highway robbery case that shocked Raigarh district in early 2021. The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal dismissed multiple criminal appeals and affirmed the conviction recorded by the trial court in Sessions Trial No. 83/2021.
The case traces back to the night of January 19, 2021, when over 30 metric tons of Radhe TMT iron rods were loaded from Anjani Steel Plant in Raigarh onto a truck bearing registration number CG-29-AB-9001. The consignment, valued at nearly ₹15 lakh, was bound for Adalhat in Uttar Pradesh. The truck was driven by Nazir Ahmed, with Mazare Alam working as the helper. The vehicle never reached its destination. The following morning, a body was discovered near Kudariya Pond in Raigarh district.
Initially unidentified, the body was later exhumed and confirmed to be that of driver Nazir Ahmed after his family identified him. Days later, another body was found at Luchki Ghat in Ambikapur. It was identified as Mazare Alam. Post-mortem reports in both cases confirmed homicidal deaths. Nazir Ahmed had sustained fatal head injuries, while Mazare Alam suffered gunshot wounds.
Meanwhile, investigators traced the truck’s GPS signals and located it abandoned near Chopan in Uttar Pradesh. The cabin bore signs of violence, and the iron rods were missing. The prosecution established that the accused had allegedly boarded the truck on the pretext of seeking a lift. During the journey, they shot both victims, disposed of their bodies at separate locations, and diverted the vehicle into Uttar Pradesh. The stolen iron rods were then sold in parts.
During investigation, iron rods matching the consignment were recovered from the possession of Santosh Gupta and Vishal Kashyap. Additional stock was seized from a forested area behind a roadside eatery. Mobile phones were also recovered, and call records were examined to establish communication between the accused.
The trial court convicted Vikas Yadav and Ashish Vishwakarma under Sections 120-B, 302, 397 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code, sentencing them to life imprisonment. Santosh Gupta and Vishal Kashyap were convicted under Section 411 IPC for knowingly purchasing stolen property.
Before the High Court, the appellants argued that there were no eyewitnesses, that the case rested entirely on circumstantial evidence, and that seizure witnesses had not fully supported the prosecution. They also pointed to discrepancies regarding the quantity of recovered iron rods.
The High Court, however, found that the chain of circumstances was complete and consistent. It observed that the deaths were clearly homicidal, the truck left the plant with the consignment but was found empty, and stolen material was recovered at the instance of the accused. Station diary entries corroborated police movements during recovery operations. While minor inconsistencies existed in witness testimony, the Bench held that such variations were natural given the passage of time and did not weaken the core prosecution case.
The Court concluded that the evidence established guilt beyond reasonable doubt and dismissed the appeals, thereby affirming the life sentences. The judgment reinforces that a conviction can validly rest on strong and coherent circumstantial evidence when the chain of events clearly points to the accused.
Case Reference : CRA No. 573 of 2025, Santosh Gupta and Another vs State of Chhattisgarh, counsels: For Appellants – Mr. Rajendra Patel, Advocate; For Respondent – Mr. S.S. Baghel, Government Advocate; CRA No. 659 of 2025, Aashish Vishwakarma vs State of Chhattisgarh, counsels: For Appellant – Mr. Pawan Kumar Kashyap, Advocate; For Respondent – Mr. S.S. Baghel, Government Advocate; CRA No. 698 of 2025, Vikas Yadav vs State of Chhattisgarh, counsels: For Appellant – Mr. Awadh Tripathi, Advocate; For Respondent – Mr. S.S. Baghel, Government Advocate.
