‘Mahoba man shot with his own pistol’

A businessman from Mahoba, who died a week after he was found with a bullet wound in the neck in his car, was shot with his own pistol and from close range, said a Special Investigation Team probing the case.

While the SIT report suggested that Indrakant Tripathi may have shot himself, the probe team reached the conclusion without interrogating the suspended IPS officer Mani Lal Patidar, who was named as an accused by the victim’s family. Mr. Patidar has not been able to turn up for questioning as he was COVID-19 positive, his lawyer informed the SIT, said ADG Prayagraj Prem Prakash.

“He (Mr. Patidar) has been summoned. We also communicated with his headquarters to contact him. But neither he is taking calls nor is his location traced,” Mr. Prakash said.