Four Sentenced to Five Years Rigorous Imprisonment in Chandigarh Railway Station Snatching Case
A Panchkula district court has delivered a significant verdict, sentencing four individuals to five years of rigorous imprisonment in a high-profile snatching case that occurred at the Chandigarh railway station back in 2022. The judgment underscores the judiciary's firm stance against crimes targeting commuters in public transport hubs.
Court Convicts Accused Under IPC Sections
Additional District and Sessions Judge Bikramjit Aroura pronounced the conviction, holding the accused—Mohammad Javed, Deepak, Sarabjeet Singh (alias Goldi), and Gurjeet Singh—guilty under sections 379A (snatching) read with 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The court emphasized that the prosecution had successfully proven the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to the stringent punishment.
Details of the 2022 Incident
According to the prosecution, the case was initiated based on a complaint filed by Nanhe Ram, a resident of Godwa Rahim Nagar village in Lucknow district, Uttar Pradesh, who works in Mohali. Nanhe Ram recounted that on the night of the incident, he was traveling with his wife and two children to Lucknow aboard the Sadbhavana Express.
The family had boarded the train at Chandigarh railway station around 8:30 PM and proceeded to their reserved seats—numbers 27, 28, 29, and 30 in coaches 5 and 3. However, they found four to five individuals already occupying these seats. When Nanhe Ram requested them to vacate, an argument ensued, which quickly escalated into a physical assault.
During the scuffle, the accused surrounded Nanhe Ram, used a sharp object to cut the inner front pocket of his trousers, and fled with Rs 77,000 in cash, jumping off the stationary train. Despite attempts by Nanhe Ram and his wife to raise an alarm and stop the perpetrators, they were pushed aside, and the accused managed to escape by blending into the crowded platform.
Impact on the Victim and Legal Proceedings
The traumatic incident and the substantial financial loss compelled the family to abandon their journey and return to Mohali. Nanhe Ram later approached the police with his employer to formally lodge a complaint, setting the stage for the legal battle that followed.
During the trial, the defence counsel argued that the accused had been falsely implicated and played no role in the alleged offence. In contrast, Public Prosecutor Akash Tanwar contended that the prosecution had established the case convincingly. He highlighted that the consistent testimonies of the complainant and his wife clearly depicted a quarrel inside the train, followed by a physical altercation where the accused forcibly removed cash from Nanhe Ram's pocket.
The prosecution further argued that the use of force and the act of theft were unequivocally demonstrated, leaving no room for doubt regarding the accused's involvement.
Court's Final Ruling and Sentencing
After meticulously hearing arguments from both sides, ADSJ Bikramjit Aroura concluded that the prosecution had indeed proven that the accused committed the offence of snatching with common intention. Consequently, the court convicted all four accused under IPC sections 379-A read with 34 and sentenced each to five years of rigorous imprisonment.
This verdict serves as a stern reminder of the legal repercussions for such crimes and aims to bolster public confidence in the justice system, particularly in safeguarding passengers' safety at railway stations across the region.
