Ara/Patna: Senior Supreme Court advocate Sanjeev Kumar Singh has alleged that the police encounter in which Bharat Tiwari was killed on June 17, 2026, was a pre-planned operation and not a genuine encounter. Singh claimed the conspiracy was hatched on June 15 and that a false intelligence report was sent a day later to justify the deployment of a Special Task Force (STF) team.
After meeting Tiwari’s family at Bilauti village in Bihar’s Bhojpur district on Thursday, Singh alleged that Shahpur DSP Rajesh Kumar Sharma sent a misleading report on June 16 to police headquarters claiming that a major law-and-order incident was likely to occur in the area.
“The report stated that there could be violence, clashes and a major disturbance. In reality, no such incident was going to take place. The report was allegedly prepared to facilitate the STF deployment,” Singh claimed.
Singh, who represents Bharat Tiwari’s family, had earlier written to the President’s Secretariat seeking the immediate arrest of the SDPO, SHO and STF personnel involved in the encounter. Following the representation, the President’s Secretariat reportedly sought action from the Bihar Chief Secretary.
Lawyer Details Sequence of Alleged Conspiracy
According to Singh, the STF team had already reached Bilauti village on June 16, a day before the encounter.
He alleged that Bharat Tiwari came live on Facebook on June 17 and expressed his willingness to surrender, but was instead surrounded and shot.
Singh claimed that Tiwari was first hit by three bullets. When he survived, he was allegedly placed inside a vehicle, where two more shots were fired approximately 15 minutes later.
Claims Based on Ballistic and Postmortem Reports
Citing the ballistic examination, Singh alleged that five bullets fired from five different pistols struck Bharat Tiwari, suggesting the involvement of multiple police personnel.
He further claimed the ballistic report indicated that the first three shots were fired from a distance, while the final two were fired at close range inside the vehicle. According to Singh, one of the close-range bullets ruptured a major blood vessel near an internal organ, causing Tiwari’s death.
“The forensic evidence, postmortem report and ballistic report establish that this was a murder. Once the police personnel are arrested, I will prove before the court that Bharat Tiwari was killed as part of a conspiracy,” Singh said.
Allegation of Motive Linked to ₹1,400-Crore Scam
The senior advocate also alleged that the killing was linked to an alleged ₹1,400-crore scam involving compensation meant for displaced residents of Jawainiya village.
He claimed that call detail records (CDRs) of conversations among police officials before and after the encounter would provide further evidence regarding the alleged conspiracy.
Singh further alleged that the Jagdishpur SDM was the “main conspirator” behind the incident and claimed that the Bhojpur DIG’s inquiry report had found the involvement of the Jagdishpur DSP, Shahpur SHO and STF personnel.
He said an application seeking non-bailable warrants against the police personnel involved had already been filed before an Ara court and expressed confidence that warrants would be issued within a week.
Family’s Lawyer Refutes Prashant Kishor’s Compensation Claim
Meanwhile, Patna High Court advocate Varsha Singh, who is also representing Bharat Tiwari’s family, rejected political strategist Prashant Kishor’s recent claim that the family had received ₹50 lakh in government compensation through Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
“No financial assistance has been received by the family. After hearing the statement, Bharat Tiwari’s mother, Asha Devi, was deeply distressed and her health deteriorated,” Varsha Singh said.
She appealed against politicising the family’s grief, stating that they were seeking justice for Bharat Tiwari, who had allegedly raised issues related to corruption, youth rights and flood-affected families.
Prashant Kishor’s Statement
After the Bankipur Assembly by-election, Prashant Kishor had criticised BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, saying he had assured justice to Bharat Tiwari’s family during the election campaign.
Kishor also alleged that the family was taken to meet the person who had ordered the police firing and claimed they were provided ₹50 lakh in government aid. He challenged Manoj Tiwari to ensure justice for the family.
Police authorities have not publicly responded to the fresh allegations made by advocate Sanjeev Kumar Singh. The claims remain allegations and are yet to be independently verified or adjudicated by a court.
