Three convicted in murder case

Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 21

A local court on Thursday convicted three persons in a murder case. 

However, it did not provide a copy of the judgement to the convicts, while the quantum of the sentence will be announced on September 24. On Friday, one of the convicts moved an application in the court, stating that the recording of statement before the quantum announced is not ‘mere formality’.

The case pertains to October, 2016, when a cook was murdered after being tied with barbed wires and beaten with sticks in Mullanpur. The convicts are Anil Kumar, who has moved the application, and two women — Poonam and Sarmishtha. Victim Nath was allegedly caught while stealing grocery from the cart of the convicts.

The application moved by Anil via his counsel AS Sukhija states that Anil does not know the reason for his conviction. It claims that there was no incriminating evidence against Anil, thus, he needs to see the judgement to enable him to make a statement before his quantum is announced. The statement generally pleads leniency in the award of sentence on various grounds.

The application adds that it is a convict’s legal right to get a certified copy of the judgement for free. It states that making a statement without having gone through the judgement may amount to ‘mere formality’.