Former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, who was arrested by the Lucknow Crime Branch around 2 am on Wednesday at Shahjahanpur Junction while he was on his way to Delhi by Lucknow Superfast Express, was produced before a court in Deoria on Wednesday afternoon and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
DGC (Crime) Rajesh Mishra said in Deoria that a case had been registered against former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur at Deoria Sadar Kotwali under Crime No. 1021/25, under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 34, and 120B of the IPC.
Thakur was produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (Deoria) Manju Kumari in the afternoon. After hearing the matter, the court remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days.
In a Bollywood-style operation, as soon as the train halted at Shahjahanpur station, police personnel—mostly in plain clothes—already positioned at the station escorted Amitabh Thakur out of the AC coach and took him into custody around 2 am. He was not wearing his slippers, and his suitcase was later brought out of the coach by the police.
Earlier, Amitabh’s wife and social activist Nutan Thakur alleged that he had been kidnapped, but the police later confirmed his arrest. Amitabh Thakur was compulsorily retired from the IPS in March 2021.
The UP Police, in a statement issued in Lucknow, said former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur was arrested early Wednesday morning in connection with a long-pending case related to the alleged fraudulent allotment and subsequent sale of an industrial plot in Deoria district dating back to 1999.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Sanjay Sharma, a resident of Rajajipuram under the Talkatora police station in Lucknow.
According to the complaint, Nutan Thakur, wife of Amitabh Thakur, allegedly obtained Industrial Plot No. B-2 from the District Industries Centre (DIC), Deoria, in 1999 using false identities, including the fake name “Nutan Devi,” fabricated husband’s names, and an address in Khaira village, Sitamarhi district, Bihar.
The complaint further alleges that forged documents—including the application form, affidavit, treasury challan, and transfer deed—were used to secure the allotment. At the time, Amitabh Thakur was serving as Superintendent of Police (SP) of Deoria, and it is alleged that he misused his official position to facilitate and protect the fraudulent activities.
According to the FIR, the plot was later sold under the couple’s real names, allegedly keeping government departments, banks, and other institutions in the dark for years.
Based on these allegations, Case Crime No. 183/25 was registered at the Talkatora police station in Lucknow on September 12, 2025, under IPC Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 34, and 120B.
To ensure a transparent and impartial investigation, the DCP (West), Lucknow, constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The SIT conducted extensive inquiries, including verification of records in Deoria, authentication of the Bihar address, examination of documents, and questioning of witnesses. Officials stated that sufficient evidence was found to proceed with the arrest.