2 weeks Ago By Bagish Jha
Gurgaon: A sessions court sentenced three persons to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for robbing a man after offering him a lift on Delhi-Jaipur highway, marking the first conviction in Gurgaon under BNS, which replaced IPC in July last year. The case, completed in a little over two months, set another precedent by recording the statements of all witnesses in a single day. Ramesh, Ganga Ram, and SK Silva Raj, all residents of Delhi's Mayur Vihar, were found guilty of robbing Sunil Kumar in Oct last year.
According to the case diary, Kumar was waiting on NH-8 for a public transport to Gurgaon when the trio — driving a silver EcoSport — offered him a ride. Kumar sat beside the driver, while two others were in the rear seat. A few minutes into the ride, one of the men whipped out a knife from his pocket and threatened Kumar to give away everything he had.
The victim was forced to surrender Rs 9,000 he had in his pocket. What followed was an instance of prompt police action. The trio were caught the very next day — Oct 12 — and a case was registered against them under section 111(2)(b) (organised crime, if the crime does not result in death), 3(5) (joint criminal liability), and 309(4) ( robbery ) of the BNS at Manesar police station.
The EcoSport used in the crime was seized as well and the cops got Kumar to identify the accused. Assistant public prosecutor Himanshu Yadav said the chargesheet was filed on Jan 17 this year, and charges framed the same day. "The completion of the trial in just two months and 17 days, with all statements of witnesses recorded in a single day, sets a benchmark in the delivery of criminal justice," he added.
Additional sessions judge Sandeep Chauhan, while delivering the verdict on Thursday, emphasised the need for strict measures against rising robbery cases. "Showing leniency or imposing minimal punishment would send a wrong message to society," the court observed. It also dismissed the convicts' plea for clemency on grounds of familial responsibilities.
"The convicts are relying upon their family responsibilities to plead that they be treated with leniency. But none of them gave a second thought about the family members of the victim while they indulged in criminal activities," the judge observed. The court's order noted the criminal history of the three accused.
"There are multiple cases pending against them. It shows they have adopted a path of crime. Such persons are a moving threat to the public at large and their property," it said.
Each convict was fined Rs 30,000 in addition to the prison sentence. Defence counsel Gautam Gupta argued that his clients had been implicated, but it failed to stand up to scrutiny because of lack of supporting evidence..
