The highest court in India, the Supreme Court, has agreed to examine a challenge brought by the government of Uttar Pradesh. The state is unhappy with a decision by the Allahabad High Court. This high court had overturned earlier court findings in a serious case concerning a terror attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur in 2007. The state believes the high court's decision was wrong and wants the Supreme Court to look at it again.
Background of the Rampur CRPF Camp Attack
On the night of December 31, 2007, an attack occurred at a CRPF camp in Rampur. This incident led to the tragic deaths of eight CRPF personnel and left five others injured. The investigation that followed pointed to five individuals: Mohd Sharif, Sabauddin, Imran Shahzad, Mohd Farooq, and Jang Bahadur Khan.
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A trial court had previously found four of these men guilty of murder and related serious offenses. They were sentenced to death. The fifth individual, Jang Bahadur Khan, received a life sentence for his role.
Allahabad High Court's Decision
On October 29, 2025, the Allahabad High Court delivered a significant verdict. A bench of Justices Sidharth Verma and Ram Manohar Narain Mishra reviewed the trial court's findings. The High Court decided to set aside the death sentences and the life imprisonment handed down to the five accused.
The High Court stated that the prosecution had "miserably failed to prove the case against the accused for the principal offence beyond reasonable doubt."
It specifically mentioned that the investigation had "defect[s]" that "went to the root of the case."
The court observed that prosecution witnesses did not identify the accused before the investigating officer, raising doubts about their knowledge of the offenders.
The High Court concluded that no terrorism charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) were established against the accused.
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However, the High Court did find the five individuals guilty under Section 25 (1-A) of the Arms Act. For this offense, they were each sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
Uttar Pradesh Government's Challenge
The Uttar Pradesh government has expressed disagreement with the High Court's decision to acquit the accused of the most serious charges, particularly murder and terrorism. The state contends that the High Court erred in its assessment of the evidence and the investigation.
The government has filed a plea with the Supreme Court, asking it to review the Allahabad High Court's verdict. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear this appeal.
Supreme Court Agrees to Hear the Case
On February 11, 2026, the Supreme Court acknowledged the Uttar Pradesh government's plea. The court has agreed to hear the state's challenge against the High Court's order that overturned the trial court's conviction for murder and terrorism.
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This move by the Supreme Court signifies that it will re-examine the acquittals of the five men, considering the arguments presented by the Uttar Pradesh government. The case highlights the critical role of evidence and investigation in criminal proceedings, especially in terrorism-related matters.
Sources Used:
The Hindu: Published February 11, 2026. Article discusses the Supreme Court's agreement to hear the UP government's plea against the High Court order that set aside the death penalty and life imprisonment in the Rampur CRPF camp terror attack case.https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/uttar-pradesh/rampur-crpf-camp-terror-attack-case-supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-ups-plea-against-hc-order/article70618909.ece
The New Indian Express: Published February 11, 2026. Reports on the Supreme Court agreeing to hear UP's plea challenging the High Court's order that set aside the death penalty for accused in the Rampur CRPF camp attack.https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2026/Feb/11/rampur-crpf-camp-attack-sc-agrees-to-hear-ups-plea-against-hc-order-setting-aside-death-penalty-for-accused
Devdiscourse: Published February 11, 2026. Covers the Supreme Court's decision to revisit the acquittal in the Rampur CRPF attack case, following the UP government's challenge.https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/3800841-supreme-court-to-revisit-acquittal-in-rampur-crpf-attack-case
Hindustan Times: Published October 30, 2025. Details the Allahabad High Court's decision to acquit five individuals in the Rampur CRPF camp attack case, citing flaws in the investigation and insufficient evidence for serious charges, while convicting them under the Arms Act.https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/high-court-acquits-five-in-rampur-crpf-camp-attack-case-101761766135256.html
Kashmir Media Service: Published October 31, 2025. Reports on the High Court acquitting five Muslim men in the Rampur CRPF attack case after 17 years, noting that no terrorism case was made out but upholding a 10-year sentence under the Arms Act.https://kmsnews.org/kms/2025/10/31/hc-acquits-five-muslim-men-in-rampur-crpf-attack-case-after-17-years.html
Business Standard: Published October 29, 2025. Mentions the Allahabad High Court acquitting five in the 2007 Rampur CRPF attack case due to probe lapses, including those awarded the death sentence and life imprisonment, but convicting them under the Arms Act.https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/allahabad-hc-acquits-five-in-2007-rampur-crpf-attack-over-probe-lapses-1251029016391.html
Rediff.com: Published October 29, 2025. Details the High Court's acquittal of five individuals in the 2007 Rampur CRPF camp terror attack case, citing issues with witness identification and investigation, while sentencing them to 10 years under the Arms Act.https://www.rediff.com/news/report/hc-acquits-five-in-2007-rampur-crpf-camp-attack-case/20251029.htm
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