A sessions court in Ghaziabad on Monday rejected the bail plea of a man who was arrested for stabbing a 75-year-old jeweller to death during a failed robbery attempt on December 4 last year. The accused, identified as Ankit Gupta, was caught by a crowd and handed over to the police after he stabbed Giridhari Lal Soni multiple times. Soni later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. The entire incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed at the crime scene.
Details of the Incident
Gupta was arrested from the spot on the same day and charged under Section 109(1) of the BNS for attempted murder and Section 103(1) of the BNS for culpable homicide amounting to murder. During the hearing, the counsel for the accused argued that Gupta was highly qualified, holding B.Com and MBA degrees, and had never been involved in any criminal activity. The counsel also claimed that the FIR was registered after a delay of nine hours and that no murder weapon was recovered from the accused or the crime scene. It was further alleged that the weapon shown to be recovered was planted by the police.
Prosecution's Argument
Objecting to the bail application, Assistant District Government Counsel Rajesh Chandra Sharma stated that there were no grounds for releasing the accused on bail, as sufficient evidence existed against him. “Gupta raided the jewellery shop early in the morning when Giridhari Lal Soni had just opened the gates and was all alone. He threw chilli powder on his face and tried to take away the jewellery but failed when Soni’s younger son Rupendra arrived. He not only stabbed him repeatedly but also attacked his son when he tried to save his father,” Sharma informed the court, adding that the entire incident was captured on CCTV.
Court's Observation
After hearing both sides, Judge Vinod Singh Rawat noted that the accused was named in the FIR, arrested from the crime scene, and the incident was recorded on camera. “The old man suffered 19 stab injuries and died due to excessive bleeding, while his son suffered grievous injuries in the attack. There is a lack of sufficient grounds for the accused to be released on bail,” the judge observed, rejecting the bail application.
This case highlights the swift action of the public and authorities in apprehending the suspect and the weight of CCTV evidence in court proceedings. The rejection of bail underscores the seriousness of the charges and the strength of the prosecution's case.
