JAIPUR: In a significant verdict in the 2016 murder of Avtar Singh, an Alwar court in Rajasthan on Saturday sentenced nine convicts, including former BJP district president Inderjit Singh alias 'Pata', to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each of them.
The court further said that in the event of non-payment of the fine, the convicts will have to undergo additional imprisonment as prescribed by law. The verdict was delivered by District and Sessions Judge Harendra Singh.
Following the judgment, security was tightened around the court complex and in Pata village to maintain law and order.
Those sentenced to life imprisonment are former BJP district president Inderjit Singh alias 'Pata', Anup Singh, Kamaljit Singh, Gurvachan Singh, Jaspal Singh, Kulwant Singh, Aman Singh, Harvinder Singh, and Vishvendra Singh.
During the trial, the prosecution relied on the testimony of 22 witnesses, medical and postmortem reports, and documentary evidence collected during the investigation.
The defence sought leniency for the accused, but the court declined to reduce the sentence and convicted all nine under the relevant provisions of law.
The incident took place on June 10, 2016, in Pata village under the Naugawan police station limits in Alwar district.
According to the prosecution, Avtar Singh, who was related to the main accused Inderjit Singh, was attacked following a dispute linked to the village sarpanch election.
The prosecution alleged that political rivalry and family tensions arising from the election led to the assault. The prosecution told the court that the accused surrounded Avtar Singh and allegedly attacked him with hammers, swords, knives, iron pipes, hockey sticks, and wooden sticks.
He was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. A murder case was subsequently registered at Naugawan police station.
Following the judgment, the victim's son, Ajaypal, said the family had finally received justice after waiting more than 10 years. He thanked the judiciary for delivering the verdict.
According to eyewitnesses present at the court premises, some of the convicts were seen smiling and twirling their moustaches while being escorted to the prison van after sentencing.
The alleged behaviour drew criticism from people present at the court complex.
--IANS
