Rajkot: Bhavnagar sessions court sentenced a repeat offender to life imprisonment until his natural breath for the horrific murder of a young woman, concluding the trial within just 31 days.“Police filed the chargesheet in the court against the accused on Oct 5. Based on the evidence and witnesses we presented, the principal district and sessions judge Rizvana Bukhari convicted Faizal Lakhani and sentenced him life term imprisonment till his last breath,” said special public prosecutor Utpal Dave.According to a statement issued by Bhavnagar police, the incident took place on Sept 3 near the public entry gate of the Bhavnagar State Transport (ST) bus stand. Lakhani (25), originally from Vartej and living on the footpath outside the bus depot, brutally assaulted his live-in partner, Kajal Baraiya. Police said Lakhani’s intention behind the murder was to establish fear and dominance in the area. He also suspected Baraiya of having an affair with a man named Ravi.The accused rained indiscriminate punches and kicks on the victim. He grabbed her hair, violently banged her head against a wall and tiled floor, and kicked her repeatedly on the head, neck, and ribs, inflicting fatal injuries.An FIR was registered at Nilambaug police station on Sept 4. Lakhani was previously implicated in five serious criminal offences.Recognising the gravity and sheer brutality of the crime against a woman, the police formed a special investigation team (SIT) comprising police inspector D P Unadkat, sub-inspector A G Brind and others.“The SIT gathered crucial evidence: recording eyewitness statements before a Magistrate under Section 183 of BNSS, retrieving CCTV footage, having the footage forensically analyzed for clear identification, conducting forensic scene visits, and obtaining post-mortem results from doctors at Sir T Hospital confirming the exact cause of death,” said Nitesh Pandey, superintendent of police, Bhavnagar.He added that the police filed a robust chargesheet before the court on Oct 4, within a month of the FIR being lodged.During the trial, special public prosecutor Dave presented testimonies of eyewitnesses, panch witnesses, and the complainant.“Demonstrating his violent disposition, the accused had even orchestrated the kidnapping and three-day illegal confinement of a key eyewitness to prevent testimony. The police rescued the witness, produced him in court, and registered a separate offence at Nilambaug police station,” Pandey said.According to the prosecution, the accused and the deceased were staying in a live-in relationship. The accused suspected that Kajal and the witness in this case, Ravi, had an affair. Before Ravi’s deposition, at the behest of the accused, his mother and brother kidnapped Ravi and kept him in three days’ confinement.
