Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
A 26 years old man brutally murdered his father and stepmother in a fit of rage over ongoing disputes related to family and business matters, was sentenced on Monday to double life imprisonment and fined Rs 15,000 for each murder by Additional Sessions Judge S.A. Sinha.
The accuesd has been identified as Devendra Kalantari (26), a resident of Gajanannagar. The sentences will run concurrently. The District Legal Services Authority has also directed that compensation be provided to the deceased’s daughter as per legal provisions.
What happened?
According to the complaint filed by the accused’s stepsister Vaishnavi, Shamsundar (the father) had been married three times. Devendra was the son from his first marriage. After the death of his first wife, Shamsundar married again, but his second wife left him. Later, he married Ashwini (Vaishnavi’s mother). Shamsundar owned a textile shop in Pundliknagar, where Devendra used to help him.However, frequent arguments broke out between them over both household and shop-related matters. At one point, Devendra gave money from the shop to a woman he knew, which led to his father taking away his mobile phone. This escalated tensions.
On May 21, 2022, in a fit of anger, Devendra killed his father and stepmother. After the murders, he contacted his stepsister using his father's phone and falsely claimed that a friend of their father had passed away, suggesting that she go stay at her uncle’s place. She complied.
The next day, when she tried to contact them again, Devendra mimicked their father’s voice to deceive her. As repeated attempts to reach them failed, she grew suspicious and returned home with a friend and her friend's mother. Finding the house locked, they peered in from a neighbor’s terrace and saw blood on the staircase. The police were called. Upon breaking the lock, the hidden bodies were discovered. Devendra was arrested, and a case was registered at the Pundliknagar Police Station.
Trial and Sentencing
PI Dilip Gangurde filed the chargesheet. During the trial, Additional public prosecutor Arvind Bagul examined 21 witnesses. If Devendra fails to pay the fine, he will face an additional two years of rigorous imprisonment. PSI Bhausaheb Borde acted as the case coordinator.