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Two Bihar men who drugged, robbed army jawan in Panchkula awarded 5-year jail
The Panchkula court also imposed a fine of ₹35,000 on the convicts, identified as Ram Vilas Chaudhary, 50, and Babu Lal Chaudhary, 46, hailing from Western Champaran, Bihar
A local court has awarded five-year jail to two Bihar natives for robbing an army jawan of cash and valuables after drugging him with a spiked drink at the Kalka railway station in 2022.
“Both the accused in furtherance of common intention made the complainant, Cyprian Herenj, drink ‘Maaza’ laced with some stupefying substance with intention to cause hurt to him and to facilitate the theft of his belongings. When Herenj became unconscious, both the accused stole his belongings, which have been recovered from their respective possessions. However, the accused destroyed the identity card, ATM card, Aadhaar card and PAN card of the complainant to cause disappearance of evidence and to screen themselves from legal punishment,” ruled the court of district and sessions judge Ved Parkash Sirohi, while convicting the duo.
The court also imposed a fine of ₹35,000 on the convicts, identified as Ram Vilas Chaudhary, 50, and Babu Lal Chaudhary, 46, hailing from Western Champaran, Bihar.
The complainant, Cyprian Herenj, hailing from Jharkhand, had approached the GRP police station in Kalka on September 18, 2022, under intoxication.
He told the police that he served in the army at CE (P), Deepak, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. He was proceeding on 15-day leave and his unit vehicle had dropped him at the main gate of the Kalka railway station around 4 pm on September 17, 2022.
Thereafter, he had food at a hotel on Railway Road, Kalka. While returning, two persons met him at the gate of the railway station, asking him his destination. As he told them that he was to board the Kalka-Howrah train, they said they were also boarding the same train.
They then reached Platform No. 2, where one of the boys went to buy juice. After sometime, he came back with a bottle of “Maaza” and three glasses. Even though he refused to drink it, the youth insisted, saying they were also from Jharkhand. After consuming the drink, he felt drowsy and fell asleep on a bench, waking up the next morning around 6 am. On checking, he realised his mobile phone, back pack,trolley bag, and wallet, carrying ₹3,000 cash, army card, SBI ATM card, Aadhaar card, canteen card and PAN card, were stolen.
On his complaint, a case under Sections 328 and 379 of the IPC was registered, and after arrest of the accused, Section 201 was also added.
Herenj identified both the accused in the CCTV camera footage of the railway station. He identified them again in the court. “Therefore, there is no ambiguity with regard to the identity of the accused and the prosecution has successfully established the identity of both the accused to be the persons who administered stupefying substance to the complainant in cold drink and stole his belongings,” ruled the court.
Man gets 7-year jail for stabbing, robbing cyclist
A Chandigarh court also awarded seven-year-jail to a city-based youth for stabbing and robbing a bicyclist in June 2023.
Kapil, a resident of Sector 25-D, was convicted under Section 397 of the IPC and fined ₹10,000.
On June 20, 2023, police had registered a robbery case on the complaint of Amarjeet Pandey of Burail village.
In his complaint, he told police that he worked at Industrial Area, Phase 2. While returning home on a bicycle, two boys on a motorcycle snatched his bag that also contained his wallet.
One took ₹500, driving licence and Aadhaar card from his wallet, and the other boy stabbed him with a knife in the lower chest and left hand. Thereafter, both the assailants fled away the spot.
Following investigation, police arrested Kapil and Aniket Baghdi for the crime. During trial, Aniket pleaded that he was innocent and falsely implicated in the case. While the court acquitted him, Kapil was convicted and sentenced to seven-year jail.
