Killing for paltry Rs 25 gets man life term

PLEA REJECTED: Testimony of eye-witness and other evidence lead to court upholding earlier murder conviction

In a unique case, the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court recently upheld the lifetime imprisonment conviction of a man who had brutally stabbed his friend to death over a petty issue. The man had killed his friend after the latter failed to repay a Rs. 25 loan to him.

A division bench of Justice Tanaji Nalawade and Justice SM Gavhane considered the testimony of the lone eye witness, who had accompanied the convict and witnessed the entire incident. The judges also considered the evidence provided by the ‘panch’ witness and also the investigating officer. The judges were hearing a criminal appeal filed by Siddharth Jadhav, a resident of Amalner, Jalgaon, in 2001.

Jadhav was convicted at the age of 24 by a trial court in Amalner for the crime and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001.

According to the prosecution's case, the deceased, Prakash Patil, a hawker, used to sell water in long distance trains. He was a friend of Siddharth’s, who had loaned him Rs. 25. Just two days before his murder, Prakash got a job to sell tea along with packaged mineral water. Though Prakash was happy and excited for his new job, his friend Siddharth was upset and angry with him for accepting the job.

This, as per the prosecution was so because Prakash was appointed in Siddharth’s place after the latter was thrown out of his job.

Prakash’s decision to replace Siddharth didn’t go down well with the latter. Accordingly, an infuriated Siddharth plotted to take revenge for being ‘insulted’ given the fact that Prakash hadn’t even repaid the loan.

Executing his plan, Siddharth in April 1999, invited Prakash for dinner at a railway canteen. On their way to the canteen, Siddharth stabbed Prakash with a knife and this led to severe injuries to him. According to the medical reports, the blows were so intense that Prakash’s lungs were almost chopped.

Having heard the contentions of Siddharth, who is now 40, Justice Nalawade considered the fact that the entire incident was witnessed by one Rajendra, a mutual friend of Prakash and Siddharth. It was based on Rajendra’s testimony that the judges concluded that Siddharth had committed the grave crime.