Malad resident sentenced to life imprisonment for killing neighbour

Four individuals were seen to have participated in the scuffle. The court acquitted three other people charged with the murder due to lack of evidence against them.

MUMBAI: The sessions court on Thursday sentenced a 40-year-old man from Malad to life imprisonment for killing his 57- year-old neighbour over an alleged property dispute on June 14, 2020. The court, however, acquitted three other people charged with the murder due to lack of evidence against them, observing that the accused, Bada Anand, was the only perpetrator of the crime.

Malad resident sentenced to life imprisonment for killing neighbour

In the judgement, passed on April 17, additional sessions judge Nandkishor More said, “Four individuals were seen to have participated in the scuffle. The prosecution could not prove that the other three accused were a part of unlawful assembly and committed the offence. The prosecution has proved that the accused Bada Anand is the only perpetrator, with the help of electronic evidence (CCTV footage), other circumstantial evidence and medical evidence.”

The case was filed by Nadar’s brother, the late Pandi Nadar, who alleged that the men followed Sunderraj and one of them threatened to kill him for not willing to give up a plot. The complaint said that the men left after assaulting Sunderraj and Pandi found his brother with injuries on his head and face.

Since Pandi Nadar passed away before the case was closed, the prosecution could not rely on his evidence to prove the contents of the FIR, and instead relied on the investigating officers.