Six get 7-yr RI for dacoity

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, March 18

A local court here today sentenced six people to seven-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) each for dacoity, criminal conspiracy and disappearance of evidence. All of them are Chandigarh residents.

Ankit, a resident of Dhanas, Lucky, a resident of Sector 52, Guddu, a resident of Dhanas, Balwant, a resident of Dhanas, Gopal, a resident of Dhanas, and Lucky, alias Badshah, a resident of Sector 52, were convicted on March 13. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 45,000 each on them.

According to prosecution, complainant Shiv Prakash was coming from the Kisan Mandi in Sector 15 here on May 3, 2017. When he reached near Bell Colony in Sector 14, six persons on three motorcycles stopped his cart and took away Rs 5,500, an ATM card and the driving licence from him at knifepoint.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Narender Sura observed that “it is clear that the accused, who are facing trial, were apprehended by the UT police”. During interrogation in another case, they “had disclosed about the commission of present offence”.

“They were not in the custody of the Panchkula police and it cannot be said that for the purpose of solving the matter, false disclosure statements have been recorded...,” said the judgment. It added that all accused were identified by the complainant and he deposed about the role of each accused.

Gopal, Ankit, Balwant, Lucky and Lucky, alias Badshah, were earlier convicted under Section 399 (for making preparation for dacoity) and 402 (for assembling for purpose of committing dacoity) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in Chandigarh on March 26, 2018. They were sentenced to 4-year RI in that case.