The District Government Counsel Chitrakoot, S C Dwivedi, said the trial was going on at the fast-track court II since February 2007 against Sub-Inspector Jai Singh Yadav, Constable Harsh Kumar Shukla and Baratilal Yadav.

“The Additional Sessions Judge Lalchand found them guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment this evening,” said Dwivedi.

Defense counsel Awadhesh Prasad Vishwakarma said: “The case was lodged with the Markundi police station on December 3, 2006 and the chargesheet was filed on January 12, 2007. The police had 14 witnesses, four of whom were at the spot when the murder took place.”

But three of the witnesses turned hostile and denied having seen the accused involved in the murder.

Munna Yadav of Dondamafi village in Markundi area had lodged the FIR alleging Yadav, Shukla and Baratilal killed his uncle Rajaram Yadav at Majhigawan village on December 3, 2006, around 1.30 pm.

He had alleged that his uncle, a cattle trader, had gone to visit Baratilal that day. The policemen were present there, having liquor and they forced Rajaram to pay for more liquor.

Initially, he gave them Rs 200, but then refused to give more. Angry, the two policemen and Baratilal beat up Rajaram with sticks and the butts of rifles. The man died on the spot.

Vishwakarma said: “According to the chargesheet, Baratilal’s daughter-in-law Mintu, the nephew of one Ram Milan, village watchman Ram Bhawan and a villager, Rajkali, had witnessed the accused beating Rajaram to death.” But apart from Ram Bhawan, all three witnesses denied they were present in the spot that day.