A Muzaffarnagar court has sentenced two men to death for the brutal murder of a 30-year-old farmer in 2018, whose partly burnt body was discovered in a field. The court also imposed a hefty fine of Rs 1.10 lakh on each of the convicts, Gajendra (42) and Ramkiran (45), both residents of Mohammadpur village in Meerut.
Court's Observations on the Verdict
Delivering the verdict on Saturday, Additional District and Sessions Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar observed that “human life is a beautiful thing and a person who takes another’s life forfeits his own right to live and does not deserve the society’s sympathy”. The judge further stated that “justice demands such offenders face the consequences of their actions”.
According to Additional District Government Counsel (ADGC) Kuldeep Kumar, the crime occurred on June 4, 2018, when a farmer found the charred remains of a man inside a eucalyptus plantation area in Muzaffarnagar’s Meerapur police limits. The deceased was identified as Rajender Saini of Kheri Sarai village.
Background of the Case
Rajender’s brother, Jayvinder Saini, approached local police alleging that Rajender had been taken away from his home by Veersain, a resident of neighbouring Kakrauli village. Veersain suspected Rajender of having an illicit relationship with his wife. An FIR was registered under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence) against Veersain, Gajendra, and Ramkiran.
During the investigation, it was found that the victim was first made to consume liquor and thereafter strangled to death. His body was then burnt to destroy evidence. The trio were arrested and sent to jail. A chargesheet was filed. During the trial, the main accused, Veersain, died.
Sentencing and Rationale
While sentencing Gajendra and Ramkiran to death, the court further remarked: “The crime (in this case) shows the convicts became so consumed by rage, revenge and a perceived injury to their honour that they resorted to the merciless killing of Rajender Saini... The act of burning the body establishes that they were fully aware of their conduct and attempted to destroy evidence to evade detection.”
The court’s decision underscores the severity of the crime and the need for justice. The convicts have the right to appeal the death sentence in a higher court.
