2012 Maruti factory violence case: Haryana Court imprisons 13 for life, 4 others sentenced to 5 years

Haryana Court has announced the quantum of punishment in a case of violence and rioting at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd's (MSIL) Manesar plant in 2012 in which a senior officer was burnt alive. The court has sentenced 13 accused for life, while a 5-year jail term was pronounced for 4 other accused. In addition, the court found the sentence served by 14 others to be sufficient.

The court of additional district and sessions judge R P Goyal had reserved its order after argument of the prosecution and defence over the quantum of sentence on Saturday.

Prosecution counsel Anurag Hooda had demanded death penalty for the 13 workers who were found guilty of murder.

On March 10, the court had convicted 31 employees of MSIL, including 13 of murder, in connection with the case.

The judge had acquitted 117 of the 148 employees named in the charge sheet in the case for want of evidence.

Violence had erupted at the facility in August 2012 over disciplinary action against an employee during which agitated workers had gone on the rampage, torching a part of the factory, setting senior human resource manager Awanish Kumar Dev on fire, and beating up and bludgeoning with rods 100 others.
Those wounded included some foreigners and policemen.

Hundreds of policemen in riot gear have been deployed at the court and outside the automobile maker's offices over threats by workers to mobilise large-scale protests if their colleagues "did not get justice".
The administration has imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC in the district till March 25.

(With Agency Inputs)