2010 Jhajjar sarpanch murder: HC upholds life term to 5 accused

CHANDIGARH : The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has upheld life sentence to five accused but acquitted five others in the 2010 murder case of a Jhajjar sarpnach, in a Bahadurgarh hospital.

The court has upheld life sentence to accused Kuldip, Anil, Jyoti Parkash and Arun for murder. One Taqdir too, was awarded life sentence for criminal conspiracy.

A newly-elected sarpanch, Rakesh of Nayagaon village, was gunned down on June 22, 2010 at Delhi Hospital in Bahadurgarh, where he was admitted for some ailment.

Five bullets were recovered from his body.

In 2013, a Jhajjar court convicted nine for life imprisonment for murder and Taqdir too got life imprisonment for criminal conspiracy.

As per the prosecution, Taqdir had lost to the victim in the panchayat elections held in June 12, 2010, which resulted in him conspiring with other convicts to eliminate the deceased.

To an argument that victim Rakesh had five criminal cases against him, the court said, “Even if the victim was facing criminal cases regarding previous panchayat elections, this does not mean that anybody has got the licence to kill him. There was an apparent motive for commission of crime. It was a well planned conspiracy, which was well executed after doing recce of the place where Rakesh alias Kala was admitted and time was also chosen when any of his family member was not around. The assailants were hired assassins.”