PANJIM, APRIL 20
Holding him guilty of murder, the District Sessions Court North Goa sentenced one 29-year-old Dattaram alias Premanand Bhikaji Gawas to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000.
The Sessions Judge Nutan Sardessai also held accused guilty under Section 392 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sentenced him to five years imprisonment and fine of Rs 5000. In the event, he can’t pay the fine amount he will have to undergo additional imprisonment for two months.
If he fails to pay the fine amount of Rs 10000, he will have to undergo additional imprisonment for six months.
According to the prosecution, the accused murdered Darshana Gawas by strangulating her with intention of committing robbery.
She was killed at a rivulet near her house in Chandel Village in Pernem where she had gone to wash clothes on the morning of October 18, 2007. The accused then escaped with her gold ornaments – gold mangalsutra and two bangles.
The accused was arrested on December 10, 2007 from Bedshi-Dodamarg and gold ornaments were recovered from his house at Kumbharwada in Chandel.
Police Inspector Nelson Albuquerque then attached to Pernem Police Station conducted the investigation.
The State was represented by Public prosecutor Subhash Dessai.
Conviction: The Sessions Court has convicted one Digambar alias Prakash Khorjuvenkar from Badem, Assgao under Section 304 (part II) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
He has been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for five years and pay fine Rs 10,000 or in default, to undergo additional imprisonment for six months.
As per the charge sheet filed on May 3, 2008 at around 3.30 pm the accused assaulted a 51-year-old Manguesh Morajkar with knife causing injuries to his neck that led to excessively bleeding and consequently, his death.
The prosecution examined twenty-three witnesses in support of the case.
The Session judge also rejected application moved by the accused to release him on probation. “I do not find it fit case to give him benefit of probation under the Probation of Offenders Act, since crime committed by the accused is of serious nature.
