In a landmark judgment, the Allahabad High Court on Thursday confirmed the death sentence of four men convicted for the 2008 terrorist attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Group Centre in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, calling the incident a "ruthless assault on the sovereignty of India." The division bench of Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra pronounced the verdict, bringing closure to a case that shook the nation 17 years ago.
The convicts-Mohd. Sharif @ Suhail, Sabauddin, Imran Shahzad, and Mohd. Farooq-were found guilty of multiple offences, including waging war against the nation and murder of uniformed personnel. The court confirmed their death sentences, originally awarded by the Rampur Sessions Court in 2019, and upheld the life imprisonment of co-accused Jang Bahadur Khan.
Background
The case stems from the midnight attack of December 31, 2007, when heavily armed terrorists opened fire at the CRPF Group Centre in Rampur around 2:30 AM. The attackers used AK-47 rifles and grenades, killing seven CRPF jawans, two policemen, and one civilian, and injuring several others before fleeing.
An FIR lodged by Sub-Inspector Om Prakash Sharma detailed how the police patrol team, upon hearing continuous firing from Gate No. 1 of the CRPF camp, engaged the attackers in a fierce exchange of gunfire. Multiple witnesses-including injured personnel-later identified the terrorists. The investigation revealed their connection to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based militant organization.
Following months of pursuit, Uttar Pradesh’s Special Task Force (STF) arrested the accused from Lucknow in early 2008. Their possession of AK-47 rifles, grenades, and Pakistani passports confirmed the cross-border nature of the conspiracy.
Court's Observations
The High Court bench observed that the attack was not just an act of murder but "an act intended to destabilize the internal peace of the country."
"The attackers were not ordinary criminals; they were trained militants who came with the objective to kill, destroy and spread fear," the bench noted, emphasizing that the evidence against the accused was "unimpeachable and consistent across witnesses."
Justice Varma, reading from the judgment, remarked,
"The Rampur incident was a deliberate and calculated assault on India’s internal security. It was a premeditated act of terrorism aimed at the very heart of our defence establishment."
The court highlighted that the testimonies of eyewitnesses, including injured constables, matched forensic and ballistic reports. The chain of events-from the attack to the recovery of weapons and the arrests-was found to be "coherent, credible, and beyond reasonable doubt."
Rejecting the defence’s contention that the accused were falsely implicated, the bench stated,
"There is not even a shadow of doubt about the participation of the accused in this gruesome act. Their intent was to wage war against the nation."
Decision
Confirming the capital punishment, the Allahabad High Court said the case falls under the "rarest of rare" category warranting the extreme penalty. The judgment reaffirmed the Rampur Sessions Court's 2019 decision, stating that the brutality and motive of the act left no room for leniency.
The bench ordered that Mohd. Sharif, Sabauddin, Imran Shahzad, and Mohd. Farooq "shall be hanged by the neck till they are dead," subject to the approval of the competent authority and subsequent judicial review, if any. Co-accused Jang Bahadur Khan’s life sentence was maintained, noting his lesser role.
The judgment also recounted how the police and CRPF personnel fought valiantly that night.
"The bravery of the jawans and officers who faced the onslaught deserves the nation’s highest respect," the bench said, adding that the sacrifice of nine lives "must serve as a reminder of the price paid for national security."
The case, which spanned over a decade of hearings and appeals, now stands as a definitive pronouncement on the state’s right to respond firmly to terror crimes.
Conclusion
With this verdict, the Allahabad High Court reaffirmed that acts of terrorism against the state shall not be tolerated. The bench's words-"Those who challenge the unity of India with bullets will meet justice with the same precision" echoed through Court No. 42, capturing the sentiment of a nation still haunted by memories of Rampur’s dark dawn.
The matter will now proceed to the Supreme Court for confirmation of execution, as required under Section 366 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Case Title:- Mohd. Sharif @ Suhail @ Sazid @ Anwar @ Ali v/s State of U.P and connected petitions
