GURGAON: Nearly eight years after a man was shot dead outside the Shyam Baba temple in Chulkana village, a Panipat fast-track court has sentenced one of the accused, Dayanand, to rigorous imprisonment for life for murder and criminal conspiracy.Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court), Panipat, Amberdeep Singh, convicted Dayanand, son of Shishpal and a resident of Rasulpur Gujran in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh, in the case arising from FIR No. 464 registered at Samalkha police station on July 27, 2018. The judgment was pronounced on September 22 and the sentencing order was issued on September 24.The case relates to the killing of Sompal alias Leela, a resident of Chulkana, who was shot outside the temple on the night of July 26, 2018. The police report placed on record in the case said Sompal had gone to the temple for his routine walk when a group of armed men arrived. The report alleged that Rishi alias Pradeep and others entered the temple premises while some of their associates remained outside. Sompal was allegedly fired upon and sustained multiple bullet injuries.The police investigation recorded the recovery of CCTV footage from the temple and said the footage showed the sequence of events. The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of several accused, including Jitender, Rishi alias Pradeep, Surender alias Baba, Anil, Pradeep and Dayanand. The police record also mentions recovery of firearms allegedly used in the crime during the investigation.The prosecution case also referred to an earlier enmity involving the family of the deceased. The complainant told police that Rishi Gujjar and his associates had allegedly been involved in the 2005 killing of his relative and had subsequently threatened the family. The complaint alleged that the 2018 killing was part of this continuing hostility.The court sentenced Dayanand to life imprisonment under Section 120-B IPC (criminal conspiracy) and Section 302 read with Section 149 IPC (murder). He was also sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment under Section 148 IPC and seven years each under Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.The court imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 each for the offences under Sections 120-B and 302 read with 149 IPC, and Rs 5,000 each for the offences under Section 148 IPC and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.Importantly, the court directed that the sentences would run concurrently and not consecutively. The period already spent by Dayanand in custody during investigation and trial will also be set off against the substantive sentence under Section 428 CrPC.
