A city court has awarded four-and-a half years rigorous imprisonment (RI) to a 33-year-old man for attempting to kill a businessman. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Umed Singh Grewal handed down the sentence to Sharwan who had fired two shots at the victim, Inder Mohan Chopra, while he was returning from his brick-kiln factory in Haryana.
The ASJ convicted Sharwan for attempt to murder saying since he had fired the shots from close range, he had the intention and knowledge that his act could cause Chopra’s death. The court also noted that though no motive could be established by the evidence on record, “but from the facts (in the case), inference can be drawn that accused wanted PW1 (victim) to be scared so that he may pay easy money in future”.
“Taking into account all these facts and circumstances, the convict is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for four-and-a-half-years for the offence punishable u/S 307 of IPC,” the court said. It also awarded four years rigorous imprisonment to Sharwan for the offence punishable under the Arms Act and said both sentences will run together, besides imposing a fine of Rs 10,000 on him.
According to police, on December 28, 2009, Chopra was driving home from his factory, when Sharwan had blocked the businessman’s car with his own and then shot the victim twice, hitting his legs. Sharwan, however, had fled the spot after seeing some people approach the area. But before doing so he had also hit Chopra on the head with the butt of the gun, police had told the court.