Lucknow: Former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday by the Lucknow Crime Branch at Shahjahanpur Junction while traveling to Delhi on the Lucknow Superfast Express. Police officers, already stationed at the train stop, removed him from the AC coach and took him to Deoria for questioning in connection with a land allocation case dating back to 1999.
Allegations of Fraudulent Land Allotment
The arrest stems from allegations that Thakur, during his tenure as Superintendent of Police in Deoria, misused his official position to help his wife, Nutan Thakur, secure Industrial Plot No. B-2 at the District Industries Center, Deoria, through forged identities and fabricated documents.
According to a complaint by Sanjay Sharma of Rajajipuram, Nutan Thakur allegedly used a false name “Nootan Devi,” a forged husband’s name “Abhijaat/Abhitap Thakur,” and a fake address in Sitamarhi, Bihar. Multiple documents—including application forms, affidavits, treasury challans, and transfer deeds—were reportedly created to deceive government departments. The plot was later sold using the couple’s real identities, keeping officials and banks misled for years.
An FIR under IPC Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 34, and 120-B was registered at Talkatora Police Station on September 12, 2025. Following verification and investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by ACP Chowk Raj Kumar Singh, sufficient evidence led to Thakur’s arrest.
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Earlier Controversies and Arrests
Amitabh Thakur’s career has been marked by high-profile controversies. In August 2021, shortly after announcing his intent to contest Assembly elections against CM Yogi Adityanath, he was arrested and later granted bail in March 2022.
Thakur was forcibly retired by the Uttar Pradesh government in June 2021 following an assessment by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which deemed him unsuitable for government service.
About Amitabh Thakur
- Born: June 16, 1968, Muzaffarpur, Bihar
- Education: B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Kanpur (1989)
- Service: Joined IPS in 1992 (Uttar Pradesh cadre)
- Notable Postings: SP in multiple UP districts including Deoria, Gonda, Ballia, Firozabad, and Maharajganj
- Roles Held: Intelligence, Vigilance, Anti-Corruption, Police Training Academy
- Reputation: Known for fearlessly questioning bureaucracy and state governments, and for high-profile clashes with political leaders, including Mulayam Singh Yadav
Mr Thakur has consistently been described as an officer who upheld integrity and resisted undue influence, even at the cost of his career progression.
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