HC upholds life imprisonment of 6 men convicted of double murder
A division bench of Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo and Justice Chittaranjan Dash dismissed the criminal appeals filed by the convicts against the 1998 trial court verdict, observing that the prosecution had successfully proved its case through credible witness accounts and corroborating medical evidence.
The incident took place on June 19, 1996, at Indupur village under Kendrapada police station limits. According to the prosecution, the victims were attacked in broad daylight on a village road using deadly weapons — including a crowbar, spear and bhujali (a type of dagger) — following a quarrel over non-repayment of a loan of Rs 1,000 allegedly given by Sankarsan.
Both men succumbed to their injuries at the district headquarters hospital in Kendrapara.
The additional sessions judge, Kendrapada, had on Sept 22, 1998, convicted nine persons and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The convicts had challenged the verdict in the high court the same year. However, during the pendency of the appeals, three of them died and the proceedings against them were abated last year.
"The case in hand depicts a painful and distressing event of double murder committed in front of the relations on the village street just in connection with non-payment of paltry loan amount of Rs 1,000," the bench observed.
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The HC further noted that the evidence of four witnesses was 'clear, consistent and trustworthy', and that their statements were duly supported by medical reports. "We are of the humble view that the learned trial court has rightly found the appellants guilty," the bench said, confirming the convictions and life sentences of Chandi Sethy, Karunakar Sethy, Bulu Sethy, Basanta Sethy, Premananda Sethy and Suratha Sethy under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.
All six convicts were out on bail since March 18, 2010. The high court has now cancelled their bail and surety bonds and directed them to surrender before the trial court within 15 days. "In case of failure to surrender, the learned trial court shall take appropriate steps for their arrest and send them to judicial custody," the HC ordered.
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