A man who was “kidnapped and murdered” 14 years ago in Fakarpur village of Baghpat has turned out to be alive.

His family is, naturally, happy. And the five men convicted for the ‘crime’ are relieved — though they have spent time in jail and the stigma has ruined their lives.

Dinesh Kumar, now 33, went missing a day before his marriage was to be solemnised on June 4, 1995. On Sunday, he returned home.

According to M K Gautam, Station Officer of the Khakherha police station, Dinesh told them that after leaving home, he took a bus for Sonepat. After spending two days there, he went to Jalandhar. He had been living there all these years, working as a labourer. He also said that he had started taking drugs. “It seems Dinesh is slightly mentally disturbed,” said Gautam.

On Monday, the police produced Dinesh before the Chief Judicial Magistrate. “The court did not record his statement because the matter is now before the Allahabad High Court,” said Gautam. “We will present him there.”

Three years after Dinesh went missing, his father Ram Dhan Singh, a retired school teacher, lodged a complaint of kidnapping and murder against six persons.

In 2005, five of them were sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment. Om Veer, Veer Pal, Chandra Bose, Balraj and Babloo are now out on bail and have challenged in their conviction in the Allahabad High Court. An aunt of the girl who was going to marry the Dinesh was the sixth accused, but her name was later dropped.

... contd.