A female lawyer Mohini Tomar was murdered on Tuesday (3rd September 2024) in Kasganj district of Uttar Pradesh. Advocate Mustafa Kamil, Asad, Haider, Salman, Munajir, and Keshav Mishra have been accused of this murder. So far, Mustafa Kamil, Asad, Haider, and Salman have been arrested in this case, while the other 2 are absconding.
One of the accused is named ‘Munajir Rafi’. Notably, in the year 2018, this Munajir was also accused in the Chandan Gupta murder case. At that time, his bail plea was opposed by Mohini Tomar. Now, since the name of the same Munajir has again come up in the Mohini Tomar murder case, OpIndia did a ground investigation while talking to the family members of Chandan Gupta and found out how Munajir was related to the Chandan Gupta case and how Mohini raised her voice against it.
Mohini Tomar’s husband has said in his police complaint that the deceased had opposed the bail of Munajir, accused in the Chandan Gupta murder case of the year 2018. In this regard, Chandan Gupta’s brother Vivek said that Mohini Tomar had applied for Vakalatnama to fight Chandan’s case. However, the case was fought by some other lawyer. When Munajir’s bail plea was being debated in Kasganj court, many Hindu lawyers stood up for Chandan Gupta. Mohini Tomar was also among these lawyers opposing Munajir’s bail.
Vivek Gupta says that Munajir’s bail plea was rejected due to the opposition of many lawyers, including Mohini Tomar, and the evidence presented by the police. However, many Muslim lawyers like Asad and Kamil tried their best to get Munajir bail. After spending 4 to 5 months in jail, Munajir was able to get bail from the High Court. Meanwhile, the case was transferred to the Lucknow court.
Mohini Tomar played an important role in sending Munajir to jail
Vivek further told us that when Munajir Rafi’s name came up in Chandan Gupta’s murder case, two groups of lawyers were formed in the court. Most of the lawyers in the first group were Muslims who were trying to get Munajir Rafi’s name removed from the case. Kamil and Asad Mustafa, accused in Mohini Tomar murder case, were also members of this group. The second group was of Hindu lawyers who wanted action to be taken against Munajir as per the rules. Mohini Tomar was the main lawyer of the Hindu group. Ultimately, the lawyers of the Hindu side won and Munajir was sent to jail.
Munajir, along with his brother, is also accused of being a part of the violent mob that killed Chandan Gupta
Munajir Rafi, named in the FIR related to Mohini Tomar’s murder, is a lawyer by profession. He practices in Kasganj court. It is alleged that Munajir was part of the mob that surrounded and killed Chandan Gupta on 26th January 2018, along with his brother Amir Rafi. Chandan Gupta’s brother Vivek told OpIndia that Munajir’s name had come up during the investigation. He was not only part of the mob that stopped the Tiranga Yatra but also of the mob that carried out the deadly attack. It was claimed that weapons were also seen in Munajir Rafi’s hands at that time.
Mohini Tomar murder accused Kamil and Asad were advocating for Munajir
Along with lawyer Munajir, his colleagues Kamil and Asad have been named in the Mohini murder case. Vivek Gupta told OpIndia that these three share a deep relationship. The root of the relationship is said to be Munajir, Kamil and Asad being lawyers and of the same religion (Muslim). Vivek Gupta claims that when, after the murder of his brother Chandan, Mohini Tomar and many other Hindu lawyers were demanding the arrest of Munajir, Asad and Kamil were standing in the opposing camp.
Vivek claims that after Munajir’s name came up in the Chandan murder case, Asad and Kamil played a major role in creating a lobby of Muslim lawyers in his support. Not only this, after failing to save Munajir from arrest, Asad and Kamil even went to Lucknow to plead for him. According to Vivek Gupta, Asad and Kamil not only helped lawyer Munajir in the Chandan murder case but also supported the other murderers.
Mohini Tomar used to help every suffering Hindu
Vivek Gupta openly admitted during the conversation with us that after the murder of his brother, Mohini Tomar was constantly helping his family. Vivek also said that Mohini Tomar used to come forward to help not only him, but also Hindus harassed anywhere, due to which she was on the target of fundamentalists.
We are no longer under pressure but facing threat to our lives
On 15th August 2022, OpIndia had spoken to Chandan Gupta’s father. Then he told us that his family was facing pressure from Muslims to withdraw the case. In this regard, Chandan Gupta’s brother said that now his testimony is done. Vivek said that before the testimony, there was a lot of pressure to withdraw the case but now his life is in danger. He has expressed hope that the administration of Kasganj will ensure his safety.
Notably, on 26th January 2018, some youths of Kasganj took out a Tiranga Yatra. This yatra was led by Chandan Gupta. Suddenly, an Islamist mob attacked this yatra. Chandan Gupta was killed in the attack. Curfew-like conditions prevailed in Kasganj for many days. Currently, the trial of this case is going on in Lucknow.
