In a significant verdict that brings closure to an 18-year-old criminal case, a Kanpur court has convicted five individuals for their involvement in a notorious truck robbery that occurred in 2005. The Additional District and Sessions Judge Court Number VII, presided over by Judge Azad Singh, delivered the judgment on Thursday, sentencing the accused to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.
The 2005 Crime That Shocked the Region
The case dates back to December 5, 2005, when a village guard named Kishan from Sarsoul village made a chilling discovery. He informed local police that two unidentified dead bodies were found lying near Mahua village turn, both victims of fatal gunshot wounds. This grim discovery set in motion an investigation that would uncover a sophisticated criminal operation.
During the probe, authorities uncovered that the victims were Dinesh, the truck driver, and Channo Tiwari, the cleaner. They had been transporting a valuable consignment of aluminum wire worth approximately ₹20 lakhs from NALCO company when they were ambushed. The investigation revealed that a group of accused individuals including Bhola alias Mahesh, Dinesh alias Dinne, Lalit, Amit Maurya, Raju Gupta, Phool Singh, and Awadhesh Maurya had executed the deadly robbery.
The Investigation and Recovery of Stolen Goods
The criminal group had not only murdered the truck driver and cleaner but had also made off with approximately 15,140 kilograms of aluminum wire. The investigation took a crucial turn when police successfully traced and recovered the stolen wire from the premises of Om Chemical Tiles Factory in Chinhat, Lucknow.
This recovery led to the arrest of factory owners Sabhapati Mishra and Vikas Srivastava, who were allegedly involved in purchasing and storing the stolen property. All the accused faced multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code, including sections 396 (dacoity with murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 412 (receiving stolen property), and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
Court Proceedings and Final Verdict
After extensive legal proceedings spanning nearly two decades, the court delivered its final judgment on Thursday. In a significant development, the court acquitted four accused individuals - Awadhesh Kumar Maurya, Phool Singh, Raju Gupta, and Dinesh alias Dinne due to insufficient evidence to prove their involvement.
Since the prosecution could not conclusively prove the murder charges against the remaining accused, the court convicted them under IPC section 412 for dishonestly receiving stolen property knowing it to be stolen. The convicted individuals include Bhola alias Mahesh, Lalit Gupta, Amit Maurya (all residents of Fatehpur), and Vikas Srivastava (a resident of Lucknow).
During the sentencing hearing on Thursday, the court heard arguments from both sides regarding the quantum of punishment. Additional District Government Counsel Vinod Tripathi represented the prosecution in the case.
The court ultimately sentenced all five convicted persons to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹25,000 each. This verdict brings a measure of justice in a case that has remained pending in the Kanpur judicial system for 18 years, highlighting the enduring nature of India's legal process in pursuing justice even for decades-old crimes.
