Thane Sessions Court Delivers Verdict in Fatal Robbery at Nutan's Bungalow
A Thane sessions court has convicted two men and sentenced them to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for a violent robbery at the late actress Nutan's bungalow in Mumbra. The incident, which occurred in 2020, resulted in the death of an elderly security guard and left his colleague with severe injuries.
Court Imposes Fines and Compensation Orders
Additional Sessions Judge V L Bhosale, in the verdict delivered on February 20, also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 each on the convicts, Sanjay Bhandari (29) and Ganpat Gullar (22). A portion of this fine must be paid as compensation to the family of the deceased guard and the injured survivor, ensuring some financial relief for the victims.
Details of the Brutal Attack
According to the prosecutor, on the intervening night of February 2-3, 2020, around 1 am, Bhandari, Gullar, and an unidentified accomplice broke into the hilltop bungalow located on Parasik Tekdi. They began stripping the property of brass fittings, including pipes, valves, and taps, valued at approximately Rs 9,000. Security guards Bhanudas Dudhbhate and Roopsing Vishwakarma (61), who were on night duty, confronted the intruders.
The accused responded with extreme violence, attacking the guards with wooden logs and a cricket stump. The assault was so ferocious that the cricket stump broke during the beating. Vishwakarma suffered the worst of the attack, sustaining skull fractures and intracranial haemorrhage. He fought for his life for nearly three weeks before succumbing to his injuries on February 21, 2020. Dudhbhate survived but required surgery for a fractured femur, highlighting the severe physical toll of the incident.
Defence Arguments Dismissed by the Court
The defence presented multiple arguments in an attempt to challenge the conviction, including:
- No test identification parade was conducted.
- Poor visibility at night hindered identification.
- A four-day gap between hospital discharge and death suggested an unrelated cause.
- Claims that Gullar was named only because Bhandari pointed at him during interrogation.
However, the court dismissed each of these contentions. Judge Bhosale emphasized that Dudhbhate, as an injured eyewitness who faced his attackers at close quarters, provided reliable and credible testimony. His account was fully corroborated by post-mortem examination findings, solidifying the evidence against the accused.
This verdict underscores the judiciary's commitment to delivering justice in cases of violent crimes, particularly those resulting in loss of life and serious injury. The sentencing aims to serve as a deterrent while providing some measure of closure to the affected families.
