UP Court Accepts Police Closure Report, Clears Escorts Kubota Officials in Suicide Case
A Dataganj civil court in Uttar Pradesh has officially accepted the closure report filed by the Uttar Pradesh Police, effectively clearing Escorts Kubota Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) Nikhil Nanda and other company officials of charges related to abetment to suicide and fraud. The case stemmed from the tragic death of Jitendra, co-owner of Jai Kisan Traders Farmtrac Tractor agency, who died by suicide in November 2024.
Background of the Case and Initial Allegations
The legal proceedings began when complainant Gyanendra filed an application under Section 173(4) of the BNSS before the Dataganj court in January 2025. He alleged that his brother Jitendra took his own life after facing severe harassment from Escorts Kubota officials over what they termed as low sales figures. According to the complaint, a day before the suicide in November 2024, company officials including Ashish Walian, the Area Manager, and Sumit Raghav, the Sales Manager, visited the agency office. They reportedly threatened Jitendra with dire consequences, including cancellation of his licence, shutdown of the agency, and sale of his entire property if he failed to boost sales growth.
Based on these allegations, the court accepted the application and ordered the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) on February 4, 2025. This set the stage for a thorough police investigation into the matter, which has now culminated in the closure report being accepted by the judicial authorities.
Police Investigation and Findings
The Uttar Pradesh Police filed their closure report in June 2025, asserting that the allegations against the Escorts Kubota officials were unfounded and lacked substantial evidence. The Investigating Officer (IO) submitted the final report, highlighting several key points that led to this conclusion:
- Only the complainant, Gyanendra, supported the version of events presented in the FIR. No other witnesses corroborated the prosecution's story during the investigation.
- Gyanendra did not state during the investigation that the alleged harassment occurred in his presence. He merely mentioned seeing Ashish Walian and Sumit Raghav visiting the agency, but expressed ignorance regarding other accused persons and the exact loan amount outstanding against the deceased.
- Family members of the victim and independent witnesses confirmed the suicide but could not specify the exact reason behind Jitendra's drastic step. Most witnesses stated they were unaware of any harassment.
- An agency employee, Vijay Kumar Mishra, provided a statement indicating that Ashish Walian and Sumit Raghav never threatened or misbehaved with Jitendra. Instead, they only demanded payment of outstanding bills, which is a standard business practice.
The police report emphasized that the statements of the complainant and witnesses failed to establish the allegations, and no evidence was found against the named or unknown accused persons. This thorough investigation formed the basis for the closure report, which the court has now accepted, bringing legal closure to the case.
Implications and Broader Context
This development marks a significant legal outcome for Escorts Kubota and its officials, including CMD Nikhil Nanda, who have been cleared of serious criminal charges. The acceptance of the closure report by the Dataganj court underscores the importance of evidence-based investigations in such sensitive cases. It also highlights the challenges in proving allegations of abetment to suicide, where intent and direct causation must be clearly established.
The case had drawn attention due to the high-profile nature of the accused and the tragic circumstances of Jitendra's death. With the court's decision, the matter is now legally resolved, providing clarity and closure to all parties involved. This outcome reinforces the principle that allegations, no matter how serious, must be substantiated with concrete evidence to hold up in a court of law.
