Patna: A court in Bihar’s Ara has issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against 11 individuals in connection with the Bharat Tiwari encounter case, intensifying scrutiny of the investigation and putting pressure on the police to act against the accused.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court in Ara passed the order on Monday in connection with Shahpur Police Station Case No. 178/2026. The court has directed the police to arrest the accused and produce them before it by August 12.
The Ara SP has also been ordered to personally appear before the court on August 12 and submit a detailed report on the action taken so far, including the status of arrests.
According to Senior Supreme Court Advocate Sanjeev Kumar Singh, who is representing Bharat Tiwari, the individuals named in the warrants include then-SDM Sanjit Kumar, then-SDPO Rajesh Kumar Sharma, then-SHO Rajesh Malakar, police personnel Ankit Aryan and Harishchandra Kumar, STF personnel Akshay Kumar and Vikas Kumar, and ASI Ramashankar Yadav, among others. STF personnel Akshay Kumar has already been arrested, according to the lawyer.
The court has sought comprehensive details from the police regarding the investigation, including when the probe began, the steps undertaken so far and the efforts made to apprehend the accused. It has also sought information about notices allegedly issued to the accused, reasons for any delay in their arrest and the current status of the investigation.
The court’s directive comes amid demands for greater scrutiny of the evidence collected in the case. The defence has sought access to crucial material, including electronic records, mobile phone data, CCTV footage and statements of witnesses recorded during the investigation.
Advocate Sanjeev Kumar Singh also pointed out that Bharat Tiwari’s mobile phone had been seized by the police. According to the lawyer, digital devices and mobile records could potentially contain important evidence relevant to the circumstances surrounding the case.
With the court directing the police to provide a detailed account of the investigation and arrests, the August 12 hearing is expected to be significant for determining the further course of the Bharat Tiwari encounter case.
