PUNE
Additional sessions judge SD Tekale on Tuesday sentenced a man to life and his accomplice to one year’s rigorous imprisonment for murdering a 21-year-old youth over a petty issue while they were drinking at a hotel in 2010.
Judge Tekale also imposed a penalty of Rs5,000 on the convict Amol Bharat Thite (25) of Shukrawar Peth and a fine of Rs2,000 on Amit Ashok Banpel (35) of Shukrawar Peth. Thite has been sentenced life imprisonment and Banpel to one year’s imprisonment.
Additional public prosecutor Ujwala Raskar examined 11 witnesses to prove the guilt of the accused. Senior police inspector Rajendra Kadam and Rajabhau Bambure of Khadak police station had investigated the case.
According to the prosecution, “The incident took place at 10 pm on January 16, 2010, opposite Abhishek Hotel in Shukrawar Peth. The deceased, Wasim Anwar Khan of Yerawada and his uncle Nisar Inamdar (38) had gone to the hotel for drinking. The convicts had also gone there. When they opened a soda bottle, some drops splashed on Khan and his uncle. This led to a heated argument. When they came out of the hotel, they tabbed Khan. He died while being taken to Sassoon Hospital.”
Police dog’s vital role
Police sniffer dog ‘Surya’ played a vital role in nabbing the accused Thite. Surya identified him on the basis of slippers found at the spot. The dog took the police to Thite’s residence in Shukrawar Peth.