Bombay HC upholds death sentences for father, son in quadruple family murder case
The court ruled that the brutal killings, which stemmed from a property dispute, met the "rarest of rare" standard required for capital punishment
Mumbai: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has confirmed death sentences for a father and son convicted of murdering four family members, whilst acquitting a third defendant. The court ruled that the brutal killings, which stemmed from a property dispute, met the "rarest of rare" standard required for capital punishment.
The convicts, Haribhau Telgote, 66, and his son Shyam, 35, were found guilty of murdering four relatives in a violent confrontation on June 28, 2015. The attack claimed the lives of Baburao Sukhdev Chaharte, 60, Dhanraj Sukhdev Chaharte, 50, Gaurav Dhanraj Chaharte, 19, and Shubham Dhanraj Chaharte, 17.
The murders originated from a dispute over 29 acres of ancestral land in Malpura village. Dwarkabai, sister to victims Dhanraj and Baburao, had sought her share of the property through a partition suit, leading to frequent quarrels that ultimately culminated in the fatal attack.
The Additional Sessions Judge, Akot, had initially convicted Haribhau, his wife Dwarkabai, 55, and their son Shyam on May 17, 2024, under sections 302 (murder) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, read with section 34 (common intention). They received death sentences for murder and seven years of rigorous imprisonment for criminal intimidation.
The prosecution's case was supported by multiple eyewitnesses and forensic evidence. Dr Anil Mal, who performed the post-mortems, confirmed that each victim sustained multiple fatal injuries from sharp and heavy weapons, with deep incisions to vital areas including the neck, chest and abdomen.
Defence counsel argued that the accused had acted in self-defence, citing injuries sustained by Haribhau and claiming that Shubham and other victims were armed. They also contended that Dwarkabai's involvement in the attack was minimal, pointing to inconsistencies in witness statements regarding her participation.
The division bench, comprising Justices Vinay Joshi and Abhay J. Mantri, conducted a detailed review of witness testimonies, evidence and medical reports. While finding sufficient grounds to uphold the death sentences for Haribhau and Shyam, the court noted significant inconsistencies regarding Dwarkabai's direct involvement, leading to her acquittal.
In their ruling, the justices emphasised that the evidence demonstrated both the brutality and calculated nature of the assault. The court determined that the premeditated murder of four family members warranted capital punishment, meeting the "rarest of rare" criteria established by legal precedent.