Man handed life term for murdering neighbour in 2017

Time of India

15-07-2025

Noida: A man was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 80,000 after an additional sessions cum fast-track court of judge Saurabh Dwivedi found him guilty of killing his neighbour using a service revolver on June 26, 2017.
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He was also awarded an additional six-month term with a Rs 1,000 fine under section 30 of the Arms Act. Eyewitness accounts proved crucial in deciding the case.
The prosecution struggled as three of the eleven witnesses—the man's wife, son, and one daughter—turned hostile. However, the case relied on the crucial testimony of Savita Yadav, the man's eldest daughter and an eyewitness, who stood firmly by her statement.
Assistant district govt counsel BS Bhati said justice for Baldev Yadav was secured through strong evidence, including forensic and post-mortem reports.
Savita, the complainant, stated that her father, who owned a grocery shop, was shot by neighbor Satish late on June 26 after an argument over delivering groceries. She testified that Satish ambushed him at night, fired at close range, and neighbors later overpowered the attacker and called police.
The prosecution relied on 11 witnesses—four family members, three neighbors, three policemen, and the autopsy doctor. The defense highlighted gaps in the probe and inconsistencies, especially after three family witnesses turned hostile, claiming the key eyewitness wasn't present. However, the court dismissed these arguments, relying on forensic evidence that matched the pistol recovered from the accused to the crime.
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"The FSL report found blood stains on the clothes of the accused, and the onus lay on the defence to prove it otherwise," the court noted.
The court rejected the defense's claim that the accused wasn't initially charged under the Arms Act, noting that the CJM court had clearly included Section 302 IPC and Section 30 of the Arms Act when taking cognizance of the case in Sept 2017.
The judge pronounced the accused guilty under both sections. The term already spent in jail would be adjusted with the total term of the sentence.