: A Lucknow court on Tuesday sentenced three men to life imprisonment for the murder of a man in Vikas Nagar, in a case that police said was cracked within 13 days with the conviction taking place within 115 days through technology and evidence-based investigation.
The case was registered at Vikas Nagar police station on December 30, 2025, under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) after the murder of Lalaram. With no eyewitnesses or identifiable suspects, investigators relied on electronic evidence, forensic examination, CCTV analysis, facial comparison and digital route reconstruction to identify the accused.
Station incharge of Vikas Nagar Alok Kr Singh said investigators analysed footage from 1,289 CCTV cameras, shortlisted 25 crucial clips and reconstructed a nearly 40-km route allegedly taken by the accused before and after the crime using Google Maps. Six forensic examination reports, including forensic facial comparison, helped establish the prosecution’s case.
“The blind murder was solved within 13 days and the accused—Sonu, Dhanraj and Rahul alias Shiva—were arrested on January 11, 2026. A chargesheet backed by electronic, scientific, documentary and circumstantial evidence was filed within 55 days. During the investigation, police also linked the trio to the robbery of Lalaram’s cash and documents and another robbery involving Deepu Dwivedi,” the station incharge added.
“On July 29, the District and Sessions Court convicted all three under Sections 3(5), 61(2)(a), 103(1), 309(4) and 317(2) of the BNS based on oral, documentary, scientific, electronic and circumstantial evidence,” said Singh.
{{/usCountry}}“On July 29, the District and Sessions Court convicted all three under Sections 3(5), 61(2)(a), 103(1), 309(4) and 317(2) of the BNS based on oral, documentary, scientific, electronic and circumstantial evidence,” said Singh.
{{/usCountry}}Singh further informed HT that on Tuesday, the court sentenced Sonu, Rahul alias Shiva and Dhanraj to life imprisonment under Section 103(1) read with Section 61(2)(a) of the BNS and imposed a fine of ₹20,000 on each. They were also awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment each under Sections 309(4) read with 3(5) and Sections 309(6) read with 61(2)(a), with fines of ₹10,000 each under both counts. Additionally, the court sentenced them to three years’ rigorous imprisonment under Section 317(2) and imposed a fine of ₹5,000 on each. In default of payment of fines, they will undergo additional imprisonment as directed by the court. Two-thirds of the fine amount recovered from the convicts will be paid as compensation to Lalaram’s wife, police said.
Police described the case as the first in Uttar Pradesh after the implementation of the new criminal laws in which three accused in a blind murder case were convicted together within 115 days, calling it a landmark example of technology and evidence-based investigation.