Team Herald
PANJIM: The North Goa District and Sessions Court, Panjim on Friday sentenced five persons to undergo life imprisonment in connection Hasan Khan murder case reported in March 2013.
The Court convicted the accused and acquitted two on August 16 and the sentence was pronounced on Friday.
North Goa District and Sessions Judge Sherin Paul sentenced Abhinandan Patel, Anil Bhoe, Ravi Patil, Aniket Yallurkar and Arun Patil, all natives of Belgaum to life imprisonment.
Robert Gonsalves, a suspended employee of the Directorate of Mines and Geology who was the alleged mastermind of the crime and another accused Shivaji Patil were acquitted for lack of evidence.
The accused were also convicted under Section 397 (robbery or dacoity with attempt to cause death) of IPC and sentenced to undergo 10 years rigorous imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 or in default to undergo two years rigorous imprisonment. The accused were further convicted under section 201 (destruction of evidence) of IPC and sentenced to undergo seven years of rigorous imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs 25,000 each or in default to undergo one-year rigorous imprisonment.
The victim Hasan Khan, a garage owner from Taleigao who was also in the real estate business was murdered at Bambolim on March 21, 2013, with the help of hired ‘contract’ killers allegedly at the behest of Gonsalves.
Khan’s body was found in his own car near the Holy Cross of the Shrine at Bambolim.
The then Agasaim PI Shivram Vaigankar investigated the case and filed a 740-page charge sheet against the seven accused.
The prosecution examined as many as 37 witnesses to prove the case. Public Prosecutor Poonam Bharne represented the State while advocates Gaurish Agni, Paju Paulekar, Rohan Dessai and Kastubh Raikar argued on behalf of the accused.
