A court in Halol has sentenced five individuals to life imprisonment for their involvement in a highway robbery that occurred in 2012 near Kalol. The court observed that such crimes severely affect the economy and the movement of goods.
Details of the Robbery
On November 29, 2012, a truck driven by Seeshram Saini, a resident of Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan, was transporting nine copper coils weighing 27 tonnes, valued at Rs 90 lakh. The truck had departed from Dahej and was headed to a factory in Noida. Near Delol in Panchmahal district, another truck intercepted and stopped it.
A group of 10 to 12 individuals assaulted Saini and the truck cleaner, Bulesh Kumar, before taking them away in the other truck. The assailants drove off with Saini's truck containing the copper coils and also robbed the cash that the two men were carrying. The total value of the truck, goods, and cash was estimated at Rs 98.61 lakh. The truck was later found abandoned, with the copper coils missing.
Confinement and Escape
Saini and Kumar were taken to an unidentified location where they were confined on December 1 and 2, 2012. They were subsequently transported to an isolated area near Mathura and left on the road with Rs 1,000 to return home. Saini registered a complaint at Kalol police station in Panchmahal on December 10, 2012.
Arrests and Trial
Police arrested five individuals in connection with the crime and filed a chargesheet. The accused included Babudin Qureshi, Anis Qureshi, Hanif Qureshi, and Bablu Qureshi, all residents of Dautana village in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, along with Mubin Meo.
Additional Sessions Judge B D Parmar found all accused guilty. The prosecution sought the maximum punishment, arguing that the accused were involved in similar offenses in other states and that the crime was pre-planned.
Defense Plea
Defense lawyers pleaded for leniency, citing that Babudin was elderly and unwell. They also argued that the other accused had spent long periods as undertrial prisoners, causing suffering to their families.
Court's Ruling
After hearing both sides, the court awarded life imprisonment to the accused under Section 395 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with dacoity or robbery by a group of five or more persons. The court noted that such offenses affect all sections of society, including the economy, transporters, and the drivers' community. It emphasized that these crimes create an atmosphere of fear and adversely impact not only the direct victims but also their families.
The court further observed that such robberies have serious law and order implications and reflect the accused's disregard for the law. It cited Supreme Court observations that while deciding punishment, the offense, and not the offender, must be the guiding factor.
