The special NIA court in Lucknow convicted 28 Islamists to life imprisonment for their involvement in the brutal murder of Chandan Gupta, also known as Abhishek Gupta, during the Republic Day Tiranga Yatra in Kasganj on January 26, 2018. The court’s verdict, delivered on January 2, 2025, has sparked widespread attention, with the convicts—including notorious figures such as Azizuddin, Munazir, Asif, Aslam, and Shabab—facing not only life imprisonment but also additional penalties for their involvement in the desecration of the national flag, violent rioting, and other grave criminal offences.
Chandan Gupta’s murder shook the nation and exposed the deepening fault lines of religious intolerance and sectarian violence that have plagued certain parts of India in recent years. The attack on the Tiranga Yatra, which was intended to celebrate India’s Republic Day, turned into a violent confrontation when a group of armed assailants blocked the procession and forcibly removed the tricolour flag from the hands of participants. The attackers not only desecrated the national flag but also threatened the Yatra participants with gunpoint coercion, demanding they shout “Pakistan Zindabad” in exchange for passage.
#BREAKING | In the Chandan Gupta murder case in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh, all accused have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the NIA.
The convicts include Azizuddin, Munazir, Asif, Aslam, Shabab, and 23 other Islamists. https://t.co/6ufK1tnYgo pic.twitter.com/MnsoWeQvuK
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) January 3, 2025
The cold-blooded murder occurred when Chandan, alongside his brother Vivek Gupta and other members of the procession, resisted the attackers. A violent clash ensued. While stones were hurled and the procession was fired upon, Chandan was singled out and shot at point-blank range by Salim, one of the key conspirators. The assailants continued their assault, injuring several others, as the bloodshed escalated. Chandan was rushed to the Kasganj police station and then to the district hospital, where he was declared dead.
Chandan’s family, particularly his father, Sushil Gupta, and his brothers Vivek and Saurabh Pal, displayed immense courage in unspeakable grief. They took their fight for justice to the courts, determined to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous act would not go unpunished. Despite the emotional and financial toll the case took on them—Vivek even giving up his job to attend every court hearing—the Gupta family’s relentless pursuit of justice culminated in the NIA’s conviction of 28 individuals.
The NIA investigation revealed a chilling conspiracy. The attackers, part of a larger group, had been lying in wait, armed and ready to strike. Their goal was clear: to stop the peaceful Yatra and assert their own religious and political agenda. The prosecution presented damning evidence of the attackers’ intentions, with 12 witnesses, including the victim’s family members, testifying about the gruesome events. Among them, Vivek Gupta’s testimony was crucial, recounting how he and his brother were ambushed, and how his brother was shot in cold blood.
The NIA filed two charge sheets, one in April 2018 and a second supplementary one, which implicated 30 individuals. The charges ranged from rioting, unlawful assembly, murder, and attempted murder to violations of the National Flag Insult Prevention Act. The court found that the violence was premeditated, with the accused having strategically positioned themselves to launch their attack and disrupt the Republic Day celebrations.
Salim, one of the main accused, and several others were convicted of sedition due to their attempts to undermine India’s sovereignty and national integrity by threatening participants to chant slogans in support of Pakistan. The desecration of the tricolour flag, an act which the court deemed an affront to the very identity of India, played a central role in the severity of the sentencing.
As the trial concluded, the court sentenced the 28 accused to life imprisonment, a decision that was welcomed by the victims’ families and the community at large. The court also imposed fines and additional sentences under the Arms Act for several of the accused, including Salim, Wasim, Asif Qureshi alias Hitler, and others, who had actively participated in the murder and subsequent riot. Salim was conspicuously absent during the sentencing hearing, and a non-bailable warrant was issued for his arrest.
In a turn of events, the court acquitted the two accused, Asim Qureshi and Nasruddin, which gave them the benefit of the doubt, citing insufficient evidence to convict them. Despite this, the majority of the accused, including figures like Zahid alias Jagga, Akram, Shawab, Taufiq, and others, received the full weight of the law for their involvement in the senseless violence.
The case, which had initially been investigated by local authorities, was transferred to the NIA due to its grave implications for national security and the severity of the crimes committed. Over the course of the trial, the NIA built a compelling case against the accused, who was found guilty under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rioting (Section 147), unlawful assembly (Section 148), attempted murder (Section 307), and murder (Section 302), as well as charges under the National Flag Insult Prevention Act.
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