PANJIM: The Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of Mahanand Naik in the murder of Vasanti Gaude dismissing the appeal before it.
Naik was convicted by the Additional District Session Court in July 2011 for killing Gaude on September 11, 1995 at Bethora in Ponda. Gaude is believed to have been his first victim.
Naik had challenged the conviction before the High Court of Bombay at Goa that was also dismissed upholding the conviction order of the lower court. Subsequently an appeal was filed before the Supreme Court.
On Friday Supreme Court justice A K Goel and U U Lalit upheld the conviction. On behalf of State Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni, Advocate Salvador Rebello abd Mayuri Goel appeared in the matter.
Additional District and Sessions Court had sentenced Naik for life and also imposed a fine of Rs 1.3 lakh, which is to be given to the family of the victim. He had killed Gaude on September 11, 1995, by luring her to an isolated place at Bethora village. She was strangulated to death using a dupatta, and her gold ornaments were taken.
Naik faced a number of other cases but has been acquitted in some.
