MARGAO: The Principal District and Sessions Judge, Sherin G. Paul, on Wednesday sentenced 43-year-old businessman Bharat @ Bhomaram Choudhary of Borda to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for attempting to murder, under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh, failing which the accused will serve an additional two years of simple imprisonment. The case had shaken the Salcete business community and sent ripples across the local trading fraternity. Of the fine amount, Rs 50,000 will be paid as compensation to the victim if the fine is deposited. The period of imprisonment already served by the accused-from March 10, 2023, to date-will be set off against the sentence. According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on January 8, 2023, at around 4 pm at Choudhary Hardware, Lotus Classic Building near Old Chowgule College, Vidyan agar, Fatorda. The accused allegedly assaulted Dungraram @ Lalit Choudhary with a sickle (koita) on the head and other parts of the body over a business dispute, attempting to commit murder. The weapon was recovered by PSI Sarvesh Bhandari of Fatorda Police Station.
After the attack, the accused absconded for nearly two months. A police team was sent to Rajasthan but could not locate him. On March 10, 2023, police received information that he was travelling by train from Rajasthan to Margao and arrested him at Margao Railway Station. The prosecution, represented by retired Public Prosecutor V G Costa and Public Prosecutor G Gaonkar, examined 14 witness-es, including the investigating officer PSI Sarvesh Bhandari. It argued that the assault was brutal and continuous, even after the victim collapsed in a severely bleeding condition, and sought life imprisonment. The defence, led by Advocate N Raut Dessai, pleaded for leniency, stating that the accused was not a habitual criminal, posed no threat to society, and had conducted himself well in jail. They also highlighted that he was the sole breadwinner and requested that his period of detention during trial-2 years and 10 months-be considered.
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The court observed that the accused had acted brutally, indiscriminately assaulting the victim with a koita, causing grievous injuries including a fracture of the lateral wall of the right orbit, head injuries requiring suturing, lacerations on the forehead, and injury to the left ear. The court noted that the koita had got stuck near the victim’s ear, yet the accused forcibly pulled it out instead of stopping, highlighting the severity of the attack. Considering all circumstances, the court held that a sentence of 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh was just and proper.
