According to prosecution, as soon as the police team inquired, the occupants of the car started running. Police chased them and apprehended Ghanshyam, who then shot Vinod Kumar and fled the spot. Police, however, managed to catch his accomplice Kishore.

A few days later, police caught Ghanshyam as well from Garh road in Hapur and recovered the gun and the cartridges from the spot where he had shot the police official.

However, the defence contented that witnesses were planted against the accused as the case involved police officials.

The court, while rejecting Kishore's plea that he did not kill the police officer and so should be shown some leniency, said: 'In our view Ghanshyam and Kishore were joint criminals, directly liable equally for their joint crime.'