13 GET LIFE TERM IN MARUTI VIOLENCE
A Gurgaon court on Saturday sentenced 13 people to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of a Maruti Suzuki manager, who was killed after violence and rioting at India’s largest carmaker’s plant in Manesar in 2012.
ACCUSED WERE CONCVICTED FOR THE MURDER OF A MARUTI SUZUKI MANAGER DURING VIOLENCE AND RIOTING AT COMPANY’S MANESAR PLANT IN 2012
GURGAON A Gurgaon court on Saturday sentenced 13 people to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of a Maruti Suzuki manager, who was killed after violence and rioting at India’s largest carmaker’s plant in Manesar in 2012.
Four other accused were given five-year imprisonment. Most of them have already served about four years in jail. Fourteen more accused of rioting and related crimes would be fined and released.
The court of additional district and sessions judge RP Goyal had on Friday heard arguments from the prosecution and the defence and reserved the sentencing for Saturday.
The defence lawyers said they would challenge the sentence in the Punjab and Haryana high court .
Out of the 148 booked by Gurgaon Police, 31 workers were convicted and 117 acquitted on March 10. Thirteen were held guilty of murder and 18 were convicted of rioting and other crimes.
The 13 workers held guilty of murder are Ram Mehar, Sandeep Dhillon, Ram Bilas, Sarabjeet Singh, Pawan Kumar, Sohan Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Ajmer Singh, Jiya Lal, Amarjeet, Dhanraj Bhambi, Yogesh Kumar and Pradeep Gujjar.
The defence counsel termed the sentence as harsh. “We will file appeals against all convictions after reading the judgement. The evidence can’t stand scrutiny in the higher court,” said Vrinda Grover, defence lawyer.
The defence lawyers said the court had shared orally that there was no evidence or legal ground to frame the 117 workers who were acquitted on March 10. “The prosecution claim that it was rarest of the rare case did not stand scrutiny but it was unfortunate that 13 workers, who had no previous criminal record or any proven role, were given life sentence,” said Rajender Pathak, defence lawyer.
Gurgaon district attorney Lal Singh Yadav described the court verdict as delivery of justice, and a landmark decision. “This case was a test for the justice delivery system as the industry and investors from across the world were keeping an eye on this verdict”, said Singh.
Awanish Kumar Dev, general manager (human resources) of Maruti Suzuki, was burned to death and several executives injured in the violence in the plant, allegedly triggered by workers on July 18, 2012.
Violence ensued after a tussle between workers and the management over various demands, including registration of a trade union at the Manesar plant.
The police had arrested 148 workers in connection with the murder while 58 others could not be arrested and have been declared proclaimed offenders.