Now, UP STF to probe case against ‘conman’ Sherpuria

State Director General of Police RK Vishwakarma confirmed that the investigation of the case was transferred to the STF from the Lucknow police.

The police on Tuesday sent Sherpuria back to the Lucknow jail after his six-day custodial remand ended today.

During the remand period, the police took the accused to his Delhi residence and his in-laws’ house in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad for recovery of evidences.

A senior police officer claimed that before the arrival of the police team carrying Sherpuria, the Enforcement Directorate investigating a money laundering case against the alleged conman had already conducted searches at Delhi and Ahmedabad and is believed to have collected documents related to the case.

“The Lucknow police went to these two places, but did not find any substantial evidences or documents related to the case. If needed, we would seek help of the central agency in the investigation,” the officer added.

Sources said the investigation of the case was transferred to the STF after it was found that the investigating officer has to visit several states for collecting evidences and conduct “deep probe” to make a watertight case. It would be tough for the district police to probe extensively while looking after the responsibilities of routine policing, DGP RK Vishwakarma said.

In the application seeking custody of Sherpuria, the Lucknow police had stated that they needed the accused to take him to Gujarat to recover documents of properties which he had purchased on fake identity and his diary in which he purportedly mentioned names of his associates who helped him in his illegal activities “in code”.

The police also stated that they needed to take him to Delhi to recover documents related to his claim to have got honorary doctorate from a university.

A court in Lucknow is likely to hear on Wednesday a petition of Sherpuria’s lawyer alleging that the city police did not follow court directions regarding the custodial remand.

The lawyer has contended in his submission that despite the court directive that a lawyer of the accused will be present with the alleged conman even as from a distance during the custody, the police took him to an undisclosed location without informing anyone on the intervening night of May 5 and 6.

He also expressed apprehension that the police are likely to show false recovery from his client’s possession and put pressure on him to confess to crimes he never committed. Besides, other officers were also interrogating his client despite the fact that the custody was sought only by the investigating officer, he has alleged.