Junagadh Court Sentences Teen Couple to Life Imprisonment for Mother's Murder
A sessions court in Junagadh has delivered a verdict in a chilling murder case, sentencing 19-year-old Minakshi Bamaniya and her lover, Amit Parmar, also 19, to simple life imprisonment. The couple was convicted for the cold-blooded murder of Minakshi's mother, Daksha, in a crime that shocked the local community.
Details of the Gruesome Crime
The murder occurred on the night of May 26, 2023, in Rajkot. Minakshi, whose father was away working in Palanpur, lived with her mother and two younger siblings. She was in a secret relationship with Amit, and the couple had allegedly plotted the killing in advance. According to the prosecution, Minakshi laced Daksha's food with a sedative and switched off the house's CCTV cameras before allowing Amit to enter the premises.
The plan took a dark turn when Daksha woke up and discovered the two together. An argument ensued, and in a state of panic, Minakshi and Amit decided to eliminate her to prevent her from informing Minakshi's father. After Daksha returned to sleep, Minakshi picked up a heavy iron wrench and struck her mother repeatedly on the head, while Amit kept watch outside. The postmortem report revealed 16 lacerations and deep skull fractures, indicating the brutality of the attack.
Attempts to Cover Up the Murder
In a desperate bid to conceal the crime, Minakshi misled her younger siblings by claiming that their mother had become "possessed by a deity" and had injured herself with a pestle. She repeated this fabricated story to her aunt, attempting to create a false narrative around the tragic incident.
Prosecution Challenges and Evidence
A significant hurdle for the prosecution, led by district government pleader N K Purohit, was that key witnesses—including Minakshi's father, the complainant, and her siblings—retracted their statements in court and turned hostile. Despite the absence of eyewitness accounts, investigators built a robust case using scientific and electronic evidence.
A mobile phone recovered from Amit contained incriminating Instagram chats where the couple discussed administering sleeping pills to Daksha. One message read, "Put it in the vegetables, roti and buttermilk... gave so many, yet no one is sleeping." Additionally, a video retrieved from the phone showed the two together in the house just after midnight, shortly before the murder occurred.
Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports further bolstered the case, confirming the presence of the sedative in Daksha's stomach and establishing that the injuries could not have been self-inflicted. This comprehensive evidence played a crucial role in securing the conviction.
Court Verdict and Sentencing
Principal district judge B G Dave ruled that the electronic evidence and conclusive medical reports proved the accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Minakshi Bamaniya and Amit Parmar were convicted under Section 302 (murder) read with Section 114 (abettor present when offence is committed) of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to simple life imprisonment.
This case highlights the importance of forensic and digital evidence in modern criminal investigations, especially when witnesses turn hostile. The verdict serves as a stark reminder of the severe consequences of such heinous crimes, emphasizing justice for the victim despite the challenges faced during the trial.
