Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The sessions court judge S A Sinha, on Thursday, awarded life imprisonment (LI) to a youth, for raping his sister-in-law and then murdering her in the yields. The accused Minesh Haribhau Chavan (21, resident of a village in Paithan in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district) was also fined for Rs 30,000.
According to complaint lodged by the mother of the 24-year-old deceased, “ The victim (her daughter) was married to Bapu Chavan, nine years ago, and they had two daughters and one son. On May 6, 2020, she was told that her daughter had been murdered. Bapu Chavan and the victim’s sister-in-law (Zau) were having illicit relations. Hence, she thought they have killed her daughter. Hence she lodged a complaint with Bidkin police, who then registered the case.
During the investigation, the police found that the victim’s younger sister was married to Minesh, but he had unrequited love for her (victim). In the meantime, the victim was introduced to a youth from Ahmednagar and they would frequently talk on their cell phones for a long time. On May 6, 2020, the victim was watering the sugarcane crops in the yield and simultaneously talking to that youth as well on the phone. Minesh reached the spot and raped his sister-in-law inquiring with whom she was speaking on the phone and later on strangulated her to death by pressing the neck.
During the hearing, the additional district government pleader Satish Mundwadkar recorded the statements of 15 witnesses in the case. However, a few of them, later on, turned hostile as the accused and the complaint both were their relatives. The then PSI Sudhakar Chavan had filed the chargesheet, while PSI S B Waghmare, S L Satdive and Sunny Kharat acted as 'pairavi' officers.
Box
Triple life imprisonment (LI) to the accused
The court found Minesh guilty based on circumstantial evidence and sentenced him under multiple charges. For the charge of rape under IPC Section 376, he was given LI and fined Rs 10,000. For causing the victim's death under IPC Section 376(A), he was sentenced to LI until natural death and fined Rs 10,000. Besides, for the charge of murder under IPC Section 302, he was given another LI and fined Rs 10,000. As per the court's order, the accused will have to serve LI until his natural death.