NEW DELHI: The brazen killing of a Ghaziabad lawyer has raised serious concerns on the safety and security in court premises, with successive governments failing to address the issue. Three people were arrested in connection with the murder of Monu Choudhary alias Manoj Chaudhary (40) inside his chamber at the Tehsil Court complex in Ghaziabad, a senior police official said on Thursday. The accused have been identified as Amit Dagar (the deceased’s brother-in-law), Nitin Dagar (Amit’s younger brother) and Anuj alias Palu.
According to police, Manoj was shot dead by Nitin around 1.45 p.m. on Wednesday when the lawyer was having lunch inside his chamber in the court complex. Document writer Munish Tyagi was with with Manoj when Nitin, with his face covered with a handkerchief, entered the chamber and shot him in his head, while Amit and Anuj were waiting outside.
“It was a pre-planned murder and the accused had chosen this day (Raksha Bandhan) as they thought there would be less people in the court premises,” the police said. The deceased lawyer’s wife, Sarita Choudhary, lodged a police complaint accusing five, including Amit, Nitin, Amit’s father Madan, Anuj and Balu of killing her husband.
During interrogation, it was revealed that Manoj’s sister Sarita was married to Amit, also a lawyer who practices at a Noida court. The couple has two kids. “Amit Dagar and Sarita Choudhary have a strained relationship. A case of domestic violence has also been registered against Dagar after which Sarita started living with her brother along with her daughter, while her son stayed back with Amit,” the police said. Amit told cops that Manoj and Sarita wanted him to sell his properties but he refused. Amit said despite his requests, his wife was not ready to come back home. On Raksha Bandhan when his request was again turned down, he and his brother decided to kill Manoj, the police said.
Brazen violence in temple of justice
February 2009: 2 undertrials killed by three armed men in Hathras district court premises, triggering a gunbattle with cops
December 2019: A man accused of double murder was shot dead inside a courtroom in western UP’s Bijnor during court proceedings; While the prisoner was being produced in front of the magistrate, three men whipped out pistols and shot him
October 2021: A lawyer shot dead inside the Shahjahanpur district court complex with a country-made revolver
