The murders took place on July 26, 2017, beneath a bridge in Navi Mumbai. The victims, Sandeep Motiram Gaikwad, an autorickshaw driver, and his friend Sameer Aslam Shaikh, were found lying in a pool of blood
The accused had brutally murdered an autorickshaw driver and his friend in July 2017. Representational Pic/File
A sessions court in Thane district of Maharashtra has sentenced a 46-year-old man from Navi Mumbai to rigorous life imprisonment in the 2017 double murder case.
The accused had brutally murdered an autorickshaw driver and his friend in July 2017.
The court of the Additional Sessions Judge at Belapur, presided over by Judge Parag Sane, on Tuesday convicted Prabhakar Devravji Dhotre, a resident of Turbhe, Navi Mumbai, in the double murder case. Along with life imprisonment, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on the convict, according to the PTI.
The murders took place on July 26, 2017, beneath a bridge in Navi Mumbai. The victims, Sandeep Motiram Gaikwad, an autorickshaw driver, and his friend Sameer Aslam Shaikh, were found lying in a pool of blood.
Investigations revealed that both men had suffered severe head and facial injuries, caused by a cement paver block and a large stone, which were used as murder weapons.
Motive established by prosecution
The prosecution successfully established a clear motive for the crime.
According to the case, Dhotre believed the two victims had stolen Rs 20,000, a sum he had painstakingly saved for his daughter’s wedding.
Witnesses testified that a day before the murders, Dhotre had visited the victims’ homes, appeared visibly agitated, and issued threats, strengthening the prosecution’s case, as per the PTI.
Evidence and witness testimony
The case was argued by Additional Public Prosecutors Yogendra Patil and Varsha Chandane, who examined 13 prosecution witnesses to substantiate the charges.
Judge Parag Sane, in his verdict, highlighted the consistency and credibility of the prosecution’s evidence, noting that it left no room for doubt regarding the accused’s guilt, the news agency reported.
Defence arguments rejected
The defence contended that the prosecution had failed to conclusively establish motive and pointed to the absence of fingerprint evidence on the murder weapons. However, the court dismissed these claims, observing that the chemical analysis reports were incriminating and strongly supported the prosecution’s case, as per the PTI.
The judge also noted the accused’s failure to provide a credible defence and further strengthening the case for conviction.
(with PTI inputs)
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