Kamlesh Prajapat encounter: IPS Anand Sharma, 24 cops acquitted by Jodhpur court
Synopsis
The Jodhpur Metropolitan Sessions Court has cleared IPS officer Anand Sharma and 24 police personnel of all charges in the Kamlesh Prajapat encounter case — overturning a lower court's murder directive and restoring the CBI's clean chit. The verdict closes a nearly five-year legal saga rooted in a 2021 Barmer raid, community protests, and allegations of political conspiracy that once rocked the Congress government in Rajasthan.
Key Takeaways
The Jodhpur Metropolitan Sessions Court acquitted IPS officer Anand Sharma and 24 police personnel in the Kamlesh Prajapat encounter case .
The court overturned an April 2025 ACJM CBI Court order that had directed registration of a murder case under Section 302 against the officers.
The Sessions Court restored the CBI's closure report , holding that police acted in self-defence during the 22 April 2021 raid in Barmer .
Prajapat's wife Jasoda had filed a protest petition in April 2025 challenging the CBI's findings, which revived the case.
The encounter had triggered widespread protests across Marwar and led then-CM Ashok Gehlot to order a CBI probe in May 2021 .
Prajapat's family retains the option of challenging the verdict before the Rajasthan High Court .
The Jodhpur Metropolitan Sessions Court has acquitted IPS officer Anand Sharma and 24 police personnel in the Kamlesh Prajapat encounter case, overturning a lower court order that had directed registration of a murder case against them. The ruling, delivered on Thursday, ends a legal battle stretching nearly five years over a 2021 encounter in Rajasthan's border district of Barmer.
What the Sessions Court Ruled
The Sessions Court found serious legal infirmities in the order passed by the ACJM CBI Court, which had in April 2025 rejected the CBI's closure report and directed a murder case under Section 302 of the IPC against the accused officers. The higher court restored the CBI's closure report, holding that evidence on record did not substantiate allegations of a staged encounter or premeditated killing.
The bench concluded that the police team acted in self-defence under genuine threat to their lives — a finding consistent with the CBI's own investigation. The ruling effectively removes the threat of murder prosecution against all 24 personnel, including then-Barmer SP Anand Sharma and Pali SP Kaluram Rawat.
The Night of 22 April 2021
The case originates from a raid conducted by a special police team on the night of 22 April 2021 at Prajapat's residence in the Barmer Sadar police station area. According to the police account, Prajapat was suspected of involvement in illegal narcotics trafficking and other criminal activities.
When commandos surrounded his house, Prajapat allegedly started his Mahindra XUV, accelerated toward the exit, and rammed through the main iron gate. He is said to have driven directly at police personnel stationed outside, forcing several officers to narrowly evade being struck. Commandos then opened fire in self-defence, targeting the vehicle's tyres and driver's side. Prajapat sustained gunshot injuries and was declared dead on arrival at hospital.
Searches of his residence reportedly led to the recovery of substantial cash, multiple luxury vehicles, significant quantities of opium latex, and illegal firearms — recoveries that investigators cited as evidence of an extensive criminal network.
Controversy, Protests, and the CBI Probe
The encounter triggered immediate controversy across Barmer and neighbouring districts. Prajapat's family and members of the Prajapat community rejected the police account, alleging the incident was a pre-planned political killing. They claimed Prajapat had an ongoing dispute with the brother of Harish Chaudhary, who was serving as Rajasthan's Revenue and Cabinet Minister in the then-Congress government.
Widespread protests, sit-ins, and rallies swept the Marwar region, placing the Congress administration under considerable political pressure. Responding to the pressure, then-Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in May 2021.
After completing its investigation, the CBI concluded that the police account was supported by available evidence and filed a closure report, effectively giving a clean chit to the officers involved and to former minister Harish Chaudhary.
The 2025 Protest Petition That Revived the Case
The matter resurfaced in April 2025 when Prajapat's wife, Jasoda, filed a protest petition challenging the CBI's findings. The ACJM CBI Court in Jodhpur accepted her challenge, rejected the closure report, and directed that a murder case be registered against the 24 police personnel. It also ordered a fresh investigation into the alleged roles of Harish Chaudhary and his brother.
The police officers and the CBI jointly challenged this order before the Sessions Court, which has now sided with them, restoring the closure report and clearing the accused of all charges.
What Happens Next
The Sessions Court verdict brings significant legal relief to the officers, who had faced proceedings and reported mental stress for nearly five years. However, Prajapat's family retains the option of challenging the Sessions Court ruling before the Rajasthan High Court. The case remains politically sensitive given its roots in a Congress-era probe and the involvement of a former state minister's family.
Point of View
But it does not fully resolve the political undertow of the case. The allegation that the encounter was linked to a dispute involving a sitting minister's family was never forensically disproved — it was set aside for lack of evidence, which is a different thing. The case also illustrates how protest petitions can reopen settled investigations years later, a pattern that creates prolonged uncertainty for law enforcement personnel. Whether Prajapat's family pursues a High Court challenge will determine whether this chapter is truly closed or merely paused.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kamlesh Prajapat encounter case?
The Kamlesh Prajapat encounter case involves the death of Kamlesh Prajapat during a police raid at his residence in Barmer, Rajasthan, on the night of 22 April 2021. Police said Prajapat attempted to flee in his vehicle and drove at officers, prompting commandos to open fire in self-defence; his family alleged it was a pre-planned political killing.
Why were the 24 police personnel acquitted?
The Jodhpur Metropolitan Sessions Court found that the evidence on record did not support allegations of a staged encounter or premeditated murder, and concluded that the officers acted in self-defence under genuine threat to their lives. The court restored the CBI's closure report, which had earlier given a clean chit to the accused.
What had the lower court ordered before this acquittal?
In April 2025, the ACJM CBI Court in Jodhpur rejected the CBI's closure report — on the basis of a protest petition filed by Prajapat's wife Jasoda — and directed that a murder case under Section 302 be registered against 24 police personnel, including then-Barmer SP Anand Sharma and Pali SP Kaluram Rawat.
What role did the CBI play in this case?
The CBI was ordered by then-Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to investigate the encounter in May 2021 amid public protests. After completing its probe, the CBI concluded that the police account was supported by evidence and filed a closure report, giving a clean chit to the officers and to former minister Harish Chaudhary.
Can Prajapat's family challenge this verdict further?
Yes. Prajapat's family retains the legal option of challenging the Jodhpur Metropolitan Sessions Court ruling before the Rajasthan High Court. No such appeal has been announced yet, according to available reports.
