Nine handed life term for 2021 Greater Noida double murder

Greater Noida: A city court has sentenced nine people -- five brothers and four others -- to life imprisonment and fined ₹86,000 each in connection with a double murder, and an attempt to murder case over a road encroachment dispute in Greater Noida’s Badalpur in February 2021

Greater Noida: A city court has sentenced nine people -- five brothers and four others -- to life imprisonment and fined ₹86,000 each in connection with a double murder, and an attempt to murder case over a road encroachment dispute in Greater Noida’s Badalpur in February 2021.

The court also observed that the injured survivor couldn’t appear before the court, as he was killed during the trial. (Representational image)

The court, presided over by additional sessions court judge Somprabha Mishra, on Tuesday observed that the “prosecution witness and medical evidence” established that two people were killed and another sustained grievous injuries by firearm.

The court also observed that the injured survivor couldn’t appear before the court, as he was killed during the trial. The plea of alibi (a criminal defence to state that the accused were elsewhere during crime) produced by two accused was also not proven by evidence.

Hence, “After considering the entire evidence presented by the prosecution and the defence, it is concluded that the prosecution has successfully proved the charges framed against the accused beyond reasonable doubt,” reads the order, seen by HT, adding, “The accused are found guilty of the offences charged against them and are liable to be convicted.”

A complaint was filed by the victims’ brother Sunil (single name) at Badalpur police station on February 9, 2021, and a case under Sections 147 and 149 related to rioting, Section 149 (unlawful assembly), Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 302 (murder), and Section 504 (intentional insult) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act was registered against the five brothers and their accomplices.

Sunil stated that he rushed his brothers to a hospital in Ghaziabad, where Amit was declared dead, while Suresh later succumbed to injuries. Prem, who suffered grievous injuries, was also killed later, the prosecution told the court.

The charges were framed against the accused in March 2023 and February 2025.

During the trial, the prosecution produced 13 witnesses, including statements of doctors, and the defence produced 10 witnesses.

Witnesses told the court that the dispute related to an 18-foot road leading to Narendra’s plot, of which eight foot was being encroached by Devendra. When Narendra protested, a panchayat meeting was called on February 8, when multiple rounds were fired.

Government counsel Dharmendra Jayant told the court that “the accused executed the crime with planning. Later, Prem, the sole survivor, was also killed”. The defence, however, argued that, “The incident did not take place at the place where it has been claimed to have occurred.”

On the day of judgment, June 30, the defense requested leniency for the five accused brothers for being main earning members of their respective families. It also said that the four other accused also have dependent families and young kids, and a long imprisonment would severely affect their livelihood.

Stating that none of the accused have any prior criminal past, the defence requested minimum punishment be imposed.

Citing, Amar Singh vs State (NCT of Delhi), Criminal Appeal No. 335/2015, decided on 12.10.2020, the court held that the objective of justice and the manner in which punishment should be imposed depends on the facts and circumstances of each case. Before awarding punishment, the court must consider the gravity and nature of the offence and other relevant factors.

Considering all the facts and circumstances of the present case, Judge Somprabha Mishra, awarded life imprisonment to all nine accused in murder and attempt to murder sections, while also imposing the fine combining different sections.