Disappointed, says Umaid Singh

Singh said he will move the High Court in appeal, once the quantum of the punishment is pronounced by the court.

“Disappointed”. That was how Umaid Singh, Phoolan Devi’s husband, reacted to the verdict in his wife’s murder case on Friday. “The death of my wife was the biggest loss in my life. I have waited 13 years to get justice. But today, the justice system has let me down, yeh sarasar galat kiya gaya hai. But I will continue to fight for justice,” he said.

Recalling Phoolan’s struggle and her fight against upper caste domination, Singh said the judgment shows how justice for the lower caste is still a “distant dream”.

“For decades, my wife fought for the rights of the lower caste. She was victimised by the members of the upper caste during her lifetime, but even after her death she remains a victim of the caste system. Justice for people like us who belong to the lower caste will continue to remain a distant dream. Justice for my wife is a fight for justice for the members of the lower caste. Gareeb samaaj ko nyay kabhi nahi milta,” Singh said.

Criticising the investigation, he questioned how police could not crack the case. “My wife was shot at a VIP area in the national capital. It was a murder of an Member of Parliament. But in today’s judgment, only one person has been convicted. Either investigation was not carried out in the right way or I see a conspiracy against my wife,” he said.

Singh said he will move the High Court in appeal, once the quantum of the punishment is pronounced by the court. “Today the court has given out the judgment. But I will move the High Court when it sentences the convict,” he said.

“As for the acquittal of the 11 persons, I will be meeting the lawyers to decide the future course of action,” he said.

Kaunain Sheriff M

As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations. Areas of Expertise Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety. Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps. Global Collaborations Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects: The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry. Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time. Awards & Recognition His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors: Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia) Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club) Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots). Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision. Social media LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99 X ( fromerly Twitter): @kaunain_s ... Read More

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