E-Paper
5-year jail for youth who snatched gold chain in Panchkula
The court of district and sessions judge Ved Prakash Sirohi also imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on the convict, identified as Maninder, alias Mani, hailing from Pinjore, Panchkula
A local court has sentenced a 20-year-old youth to five years in jail for snatching a woman’s gold chain in Sector 14, Panchkula, in November 2019.
The court of district and sessions judge Ved Prakash Sirohi also imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on the convict, identified as Maninder, alias Mani, hailing from Pinjore.
“The convict has been proved to have snatched the gold chain of the complainant. The gold chain was recovered from the possession of the convict and the bike used by him in the commission of offence was taken into police possession from the spot. As such, the convict does not deserve any leniency,” read the court order.
Maninder was arrested on November 11, 2019, while he was escaping after snatching a gold chain in front of a petrol pump in Sector 14, Panchkula.
The complainant, Anu Sharma of Sector 11, Panchkula, was returning to her parents’ home in Sector 14 after visiting the Sector 7 market.
She was riding pillion behind her sister Renu Sharma on a Honda Activa and Renu’s six-month-old daughter was in her lap.
Around 8.30 pm, when they were about to reach their house in Sector 14, two youths rammed their motorcycle into their scooter from behind. They snatched her gold chain and sped away. But in process, they crashed into a car and fell on the road. Despite being injured, the duo fled on foot, leaving their motorcycle behind.
The accused, Maninder and Rahul, were apprehended from Marketing Board Colony, Sector 14, soon after. The gold chain was recovered from Maninder and a case under Section 379-A (snatching) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Sector 14 police station.
The court had dropped proceedings against Rahul as he died during the pendency of trial in November 2021.
IO cannot be disbelieved merely because he is a police officer: Court
Maninder had sought acquittal while arguing that a non-independent witness was joined by police. The court in its order said the accused were apprehended by police immediately after the crime’s occurrence and the gold chain was recovered from Maninder, whereas the motorcycle used in the commission of offence was recovered from the place of occurrence.
“The testimony of the investigating officer cannot be disbelieved merely because he is a police officer, unless and until there is any allegation against him with regard to any previous enmity. The investigating officer had no reason to falsely implicate the accused in this case,” ruled the court.
