A district court sentenced 12 people to life imprisonment on Monday for murder, 22 years after a political rivalry over local elections led to the killing of a 58-year-old man in Maharashtra's Latur, news agency PTI reported.
The district and additional sessions court judge at Udgir, RM Kadam, also imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on each convict.
According to the prosecution, a group of 13 individuals attacked social worker Digambar Patil with sticks at his home in Gurdhal village on May 23, 2003. Patil’s family members were also injured in the assault.
One of the accused died during the trial, leading to the proceedings against him being dropped, a prosecution lawyer said. “The court found the 12 accused guilty under section 302 (Punishment for murder) under the Indian Penal Code and sentenced them to life imprisonment on Friday.” Assistant Public Prosecutor Gauspasha Sayyed was quoted as saying by PTI.
Sayyed also said that failure to pay the ₹10,000 fine would result in an additional one-year jail term. He added that the accused allegedly held a grudge against Patil over disputes related to the Gram Panchayat and Zilla Parishad elections in Latur.
Similar incidents
In a separate case on January 25, a sessions court in Mumbai sentenced 52-year-old Hanif Sarvar Khan to life imprisonment for stabbing his former wife. The court also directed the District Legal Service Authority to provide compensation to the victim, as she belonged to an economically marginalised family.
{{/usCountry}}In a separate case on January 25, a sessions court in Mumbai sentenced 52-year-old Hanif Sarvar Khan to life imprisonment for stabbing his former wife. The court also directed the District Legal Service Authority to provide compensation to the victim, as she belonged to an economically marginalised family.
{{/usCountry}}According to the prosecution, the attack took place on June 28, 2023, just a week after Hanif and his wife separated through a customary divorce. Hanif, who was in an autorickshaw, stopped near his ex-wife, Tahira Khan, while she was on her way to work. He forced her into the vehicle and, upon reaching Kalina, Santacruz East, took out a knife and stabbed her.
Tahira managed to push him away and escape from the auto while shouting for help. Hanif also jumped out of the moving vehicle and fled.
She was later taken to VN Desai Hospital by her sister and nephew, and the Vakola police registered a case against Hanif.
In another case, a court in Maharashtra’s Jalna city sentenced a 64-year-old house help to life imprisonment on January 20 for murdering his 60-year-old employer in 2021. Principal District and Sessions Court Judge Varsha Mohite handed the sentence to Bhimrao Dhande for killing Sangita Lahoti, wife of businessman Alokchand Lahoti, said district government pleader Babasaheb Ingle.
Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said that Dhande attacked Lahoti while she was performing her puja.