5 awarded 6 months RI for destroying Mahavitaran property

MUMBAI: Five persons, including one Panchayat Samiti member and one Gram Panchayat member, have been awarded six months rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs 17,000 for destroying office property of Gandhinagar section office of Mahavitaran at Kolhapur.
  
The accused -- Panchayat Samiti member Pratap Chandwani, Gram Panchayat member Prem Lalwani, Ramesh Kukreja, Anil Debani and Manohar Wadhava -- were charged for destroying office property of Gandhinagar section office during a 'Morcha' held on April 13, 2006.
  
The 'Morcha' of 300 people, led by Chandwani and Lalwani, had pelted stones and destroyed office furniture, windows, fans and other property, a Mahavitaran said on Wednesday.
  
After the offences were registered against the accused by junior engineer V G Nashte, the accused were found guilty and were sentenced to six months rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 17,000 by Mrs P N Jamdar, Judicial Magistrate First Class of Kolhapur Sessions Court.