“My son was falsely framed and then shot in a fake encounter. His entire career was destroyed. I spent two years running from pillar to post trying to get an FIR filed against the policemen involved, but no one listened. Now, finally, on the court’s orders, a case has been registered against 12 policemen.”
That’s the account of Tarun Gautam from Mathura. His son, Somesh Gautam, was shot in a police encounter on 6 September 2022. The police shot him in the leg. Now, an FIR has been filed against 12 policemen, including the then SHO of Jewar police station in Noida, for allegedly staging a fake encounter. Somesh was preparing for a BTech degree. So, how did the police frame him? What happened that led to an encounter? And how did his father and lawyer fight for justice for two long years? Here's the full story.
Unmarked Cars, Plainclothes Policemen Arrive
Tarun Gautam has filed an FIR at Jewar police station against 12 policemen. According to the FIR, at around 8:45 PM on 4 September 2022, two unregistered vehicles arrived at his house. About 10–12 people in plain clothes got out and identified themselves as police personnel.
Speaking to The Quint, Tarun alleged, “They asked about my son, Somesh. When I told them he was in Delhi for coaching, they didn’t believe me. They searched the house, vandalised it, and took ₹22,000 in cash.”
Next Morning, Police Picks Somesh From His Room in Delhi
Tarun said he was forcibly taken into a vehicle, beaten at an undisclosed location, and brought to his son in Delhi the next morning. The police then picked up Somesh from his room and took him to Jewar police station. There, he was tortured and allegedly coerced into confessing to crimes he didn’t commit. Later, to stage an encounter, they shot him in the leg.
An FIR has now been filed against 12 officers, including the former SHO, six sub-inspectors, and five constables.
"Blindfolded and Shot in a Staged Encounter"
“On the night of 6 September 2022, Somesh was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location. His hands were tied behind his back, and he was shot in the leg in a staged encounter.”
He added, “The entire chain of events began on 4 September after a murder in Nimka village. We still don’t know on what basis Somesh was named an accused. He was booked under IPC Section 302 for murder. Today, he’s out on bail and the trial is ongoing.”
Police Version: Attempted Murder During Recovery
On 9 April 2025, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissioner tweeted that a man had filed a case at Jewar police station alleging the murder of his brother. During the investigation, Somesh Gautam alias Seetu was named as an accused. He and an associate, Praveen, were arrested with a stolen motorcycle.
The tweet claimed, “During interrogation, Somesh admitted he was paid ₹15 lakh for the murder. While recovering the murder weapon, both accused opened fire on the police, and were injured in retaliatory firing. A case was registered at Jewar police station.”
"Threatened With Death, False Cases Filed"
In the FIR, Tarun alleged that the police threatened him:
“If you complain, we’ll kill your only son.”
According to the FIR, Somesh was falsely implicated in five cases: motorcycle theft, illegal firearm possession, attempt to murder during an encounter, charges under the Gangster Act, and another unrelated murder case where his name wasn’t originally listed.
Tarun also alleged that then SHO Anjani Kumar took ₹1 lakh to release his son.
Three Years of Legal Battle Before FIR Was Filed
Despite repeated pleas to the police and senior officials, no FIR was filed. Eventually, Tarun turned to the courts.
Lawyer C P Gautam said:
“The father filed multiple complaints with senior officers, but when nothing happened, we approached the court. On 14 February, the Chief Judicial Magistrate ordered the police to file an FIR. Even then, they delayed for 50 days. We had to file another application, after which Jewar police finally registered the case.”
FIR Filed Against 12 Police Personnel
The FIR, filed on 8 April 2025 at Jewar station, includes IPC Section 307 (attempt to murder) and 10 other sections. The accused are:
Then SHO Anjani Kumar Singh
Sub-Inspectors Rakesh Babu, Aniruddh Yadav, Sharad Yadav, Chandveer Singh, Sunny Kumar, Neelkanth Singh
Constables Sohit Kumar, Bhuri Singh, Jai Prakash, Manoj Kumar, Chheetar Singh
The police Commissioner’s tweet clarified: “The father’s plea in Delhi court was rejected. Now, as per the order of the Gautam Buddh Nagar court under Section 156(3) CrPC, an FIR has been registered.”
“Can’t Get a Job Because of Fake FIRs”
Tarun said Somesh's ability to run and play has been permanently affected. The family is struggling financially due to legal expenses. Somesh now works at a small private company, as his police verification fails due to pending cases, making him ineligible for government or bigger private jobs.
“Somesh wanted to pursue a diploma from IIT Delhi,” Tarun said, “but he was denied admission due to a failed police verification.”
The family remains in fear. “Even after the FIR,” Tarun says, “we don’t expect justice.”
(With inputs from Sunil Gautam)