2 get life term for murdering farmer. PUNE: The court of additional sessions judge V K Shewale on Friday sentenced two persons to life imprisonment for murdering a farmer over a land dispute in Paud in 2011. The convicts - Ramadas Marne (38) and Raju Shedge (42) - of Paud in Mulshi taluka were also fined Rs 5,000 each. According to the prosecution, Barku Chapaji (67), a resident of Paud, was driving his bike on November 30, 2011, around 8 am when Marne caught hold of him and Shedge severely assaulted him with a sickle on his head and chest. Such was the impact of the attack that Barku succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital on the same day around 1 pm. However, prior to his death, Chapaji gave an oral dying declaration in the presence of his wife Savitra holding Marne and Shedge responsible for the attack at the behest of Baban Marne and Bharat Shedge, both residents of Paud. Additional public prosecutor Laxman Maindad examined 12 witnesses, for proving guilt of the accused. However, two eyewitnesses turned hostile at the time of the trial. Maindad relied on the dying declaration and circumstantial evidence like blood stains on the clothes of the accused and the weapon seized from them. He quoted a Supreme Court ruling that the dying declaration given by a victim, though oral, was natural and sufficient to prove the guilt of the accused. However, the court acquitted Baban and Bharat by giving them the benefit of doubt as they did not participate in the crime. On the hostility of eyewitnesses, the court said, "Almost all the prosecution witnesses are being won over by the accused (Marne) on the basis of money and muscle power. Murders have witnessed in the past as well but the witnesses were threatened due to which they were afraid of deposing against the accused. The same situation has been created by the accused in the case and the prosecution cannot be held responsible if its witnesses had turned hostile".TOI
Posted on: Sat, 29 Jun 2013 06:51:55 +0000
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