JAMMU: Principal Sessions Judge Jammu Sanjay Gupta on Thursday awarded life-imprisonment to Mahinder Singh, Surinder Kumar and Deepak Kumar involved in the much publicised murder at Katra and acquitted Bittu Sharma as there was no evidence against him.
Prosecution case against accused Mahinder Singh, Surinder Kumar, Deepak Kumar and Bittu Sharma was that on 15 April 2009, at 8 P.M information was received in police station Katra from reliable source that Vijay Kumar alias Bunto/Bittu was travelling a car in without number plate being driven by Ashok Kumar. At 7.30 P.M., when the car reached Parthal near the shop of Ravi Kumar where accused Mahinder Singh alias Bindu, Surinder Kumar alias Babbu, Deepak Kumar alias Deepu having a common criminal intention to murder Vijay Kumar and armed with sharp edged weapon and Darat stopped the car and beatup Vijay Kumar and dragged him out of the car and attacked him with sharp edged weapons and Darat and thereby murdered him. The driver of the car too was injured grievously. On receipt of this report, FIR No.47/2009 for offence under Section 302/307/341/34 RPC 4/25 Arm Act was registered and investigation was handed over to Jugal Kishore Sharma, SDPO, Katra. After completion of investigation a challan was presented.
After hearing Special PP R.K Kotwal for the state and Advocate B.S Manhas for the accused persons, the Judge awarded rigorous life-imprisonment and fine of Rs 10,000 each to all the accused persons namely Mahinder Singh, Surinder Kumar and Deepak Kumar.