Wife Of Gangster Shot Dead Outside Court Seeks Supreme Court Permission To Attend Last Rites

A day after gangster Sanjeev alias Jeeva was shot day in Lucknow court premises, his wife moved the Supreme Court seeking permission to attend her husband's last rites.

The Uttar Pradesh government told the top court that it has no objection if she attends the funeral. Following the plea, the court posted the matter for hearing on Friday.

A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal said it will hear the matter and pass an order on Friday.

The counsel of Payal Maheshwari, Jeeva's wife, mentioned the plea for an urgent hearing and sought a day's protection to reach her family and participate in the funeral ceremony,

The counsel of the State said that the body of the dead gangster might be taken to Muzaffarnagar, the family's hometown and added that Payal is also a gangster named in the gangster chart.

The bench also asked Payal's advocate to file relevant documents in the case by today itself.

The gangster, 48, has been accused in several cases including the murder of former UP minister Brahma Dutt Dwivedi, who was shot dead outside a crowded courtroom in Lucknow on Wednesday.

In 2003, he was awarded a life sentence by the High Court for Dwivedi's murder in 1997 and was lodged in Lucknow jail. He was being taken to the SC-ST court to attend a hearing in a 2015 attempt to murder case when a man dressed as a lawyer fired at him.

Following the incident, a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the firing incident, informed Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers Office (CMO) on Wednesday.

"A three-member SIT, including Mohit Agarwal, ADG Technical; Joint CP, Lucknow, Nilabja Chaudhary and Ayodhya IG Praveen Kumar, has been constituted to investigate the incident," read an official statement from CMO.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Lucknow, Rahul Raj said, "Sanjeev Jeeva was shot at today and succumbed to his injuries. Two of our constables also sustained injuries but are out of danger. They are currently under treatment. I've been told that the assailant has been arrested."

Meanwhile, lawyers staged a protest outside Lucknow Civil Court in the wake of the firing incident.

Upendra Kumar Agarwal, Joint Commissioner of Police ( Law and Order), Lucknow said a child was also injured in the incident.

"A criminal, identified as Sanjeev Jeeva, was shot today. Two police officials, who were escorting him to the court, also sustained injuries. A child was also injured in the incident and was admitted to a trauma centre," Agarwal said.

Lucknow District Magistrate, Surya Pal Gangwar informed that the girl injured in the incident was stable and undergoing treatment. "Sanjeev alias Jeeva was shot dead at Lucknow civil court. The accused was arrested. A girl was also injured in the incident. Her condition is stable and she is receiving treatment. The investigation is underway," said Surya Pal Gangwar.