A Ranchi court on Wednesday awarded life imprisonment to Congress legislator Sawna lakra and three others convicted in an honour killing case. lakra and his aides were convicted on Monday for killing one Avinash Tiwary, a 21 year youth from Garhwa who was allegedly having a love affair with the legislator's granddaughter.
The court of Judicial commissioner SH Kazmi also slapped a fine of Rs 8,000 on them for abduction and murder of Tiwari. lakra is an MlA from Khijri legislative constituency, around 25 km from the State headquarters Ranchi.
lakra and his three aides -- bodyguard Janak Mahto, personal driver Gopi Kachchap and one Dinesh Kumar - have been sentenced under sections 302, 364, 34 of IPC.
"All the four convicts in the case have been awarded life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 was slapped on them for murdering Kumar. 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 3,000 have also been awarded to them by the court for abducting the youth," said State counsel Tanveer.
The bodyguard and driver have also been sentenced under section 27A of Arms Act.
"In addition to that lakra's driver Gopi Kacchap and bodyguard Janak Mahto have been sentenced three years imprisonment each under Arms Act," said the advocate.
The sentences under different sections and act will go on concurrently. They can go to the High court for appeal within 30 days.
“As they had committed a heinous crime, we requested before the court to award maximum imprisonment for all the four in the case,” added the advocate.
lakra, 72, and his three aides were convicted by the court here in the case on Monday. As many as 35 witnesses were examined in the court during the trial of the case.
The 21 year old Tiwari’s bullet-riddled body was found from Karra block of Khunti district on April 27, 2011, three days after he went missing on April 24. Sanjay Tiwari, father of the deceased, had lodged an FIR against lakra his bodyguard and driver alleging their involvement in the abduction and murder of his son.
The police during investigations came to know about the recovery of a body at Karra on April 27. They then informed Avinash's father, Sanjay Tiwari, who rushed to RIMS on May 5 and identified the body as that of his son. Police slapped murder charges on lakra after which he went into hiding.
Avinash, who used to work at a private firm here, was staying in Ranchi. He was, was reportedly caught by Mahto and confined in a room. Avinash somehow managed to call up his friend, Raj Kamal Pandey, informed about the incident before Mahto seized his mobile phone. Thereafter, Avinash could not be traced.
lakra however, reiterated that he was innocent and was fabricated falsely by the police in this case.
“I do not consider myself as guilty and will appeal at the High Court,” said lakra.