Sentencing likely on May 14 in Malvani hooch tragedy

The sessions court would pronounce the quantum of punishment for four men, held guilty for 2015 Malvani hooch tragedy, on May 14. A total of 106 people lost their lives and 75 suffered debilitating disabilities like loss of eyesight after drinking spurious alcohol. On April 29, the court convicted Raju Tapkar, 59, Donald Patel, 49, Francis D’mello, 54, and Mansoor Khan, 34, out of the total 14 accused.

On Monday, the judge heard prosecution and defence on the quantum of sentence. Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat made an emotional appeal and sought maximum punishment of life imprisonment, terming it a rarest of the rare case. “They have done it with thought and intention. The message has to be sent to society that such kind of act is not only severe but very heinous and will not be tolerated,” Gharat contended.

While the defence lawyers Kainath Sayyed for Tapkar, Wahab Khan for Patel, Nitin Sejpal for D’mello and Diwakar Rai for Khan - argued for minimum punishment. The defence pleaded that the quartet be given an opportunity to live normal life and a chance to reform.

Sayyed contended that Tapkar is physically challenged and has already spent nine years of his life in prison. She pleaded that he be awarded minimum punishment so that he can spend the rest of his life with his family. Similarly, Khan pleaded before the court to consider the theory of contributory negligence, while seeking for minimum punishment. Sejpal averred that the convicts be given a chance to reform and live in the society as they had no intention to kill anyone. While Rai contended that Khan was just 24 years old when this tragedy hit and he was the only earning member of the family.