A district court in Nashik has delivered a life imprisonment verdict to two individuals found guilty of murdering a garage owner in a brutal crime that dates back to November 2020. The court of District and Sessions Judge J M Dalvi pronounced the sentence, bringing closure to a case that shocked the local community.
The Gruesome Crime and Investigation
The victim, Ramchandra Nishad (37), was the owner of a garage located along the Wadala-Pathardi Road in Nashik. His lifeless body was discovered lying in a pool of blood inside his garage on November 12, 2020. The grim discovery was made by one of his employees who arrived for work that morning.
Acting swiftly, the Indiranagar police of Nashik city registered a murder case against unidentified assailants. A critical clue emerged early in the investigation: a car was missing from the garage premises. This led investigators to believe the killers used the victim's own vehicle to flee the scene. The abandoned car was later recovered from Madsangvi.
Motive and Arrest of the Accused
Through diligent investigation led by Police Inspector Nilesh Mainkar and his team, the pieces of the puzzle came together. The police arrested two men: Roshan Kotkar (25) and Chandrakant Labhde (24).
Assistant Public Prosecutor Sachin Gorwadkar presented the prosecution's case, revealing a shocking motive rooted in a petty financial dispute. Kotkar was employed at Nishad's garage. The trigger for the murder was Nishad paying Kotkar Rs 500 less in his salary during the Diwali festival. Enraged by this deduction, Kotkar conspired with his friend Labhde to kill his employer.
Execution of the Murder Plan and Evidence
The duo executed their plan on the night between November 11 and 12, 2020. They attacked Nishad inside his garage, striking him on the head with a blunt object. The investigation uncovered damning evidence against the convicts.
Phone records showed that Kotkar had made repeated calls to Nishad's phone on the day of the murder. Most crucially, the police recovered the blood-stained clothes worn during the crime and the murder weapon from Kotkar's possession. Forensic analysis confirmed that the blood on these items matched Nishad's blood group, providing irrefutable scientific proof of their guilt.
Court Verdict and Sentencing
After evaluating the evidence, the court found Kotkar and Labhde guilty of murder. Judge J M Dalvi sentenced both to life imprisonment. In addition to the life term, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on the convicts.
This verdict underscores the judiciary's firm stance against violent crime and delivers a measure of justice for the family of Ramchandra Nishad, nearly three years after the tragic incident.
