14 years on, High Court upholds life term for 3 in KMV College principal's murder case

Chandigarh, October 10

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More than 14 years after a principal of Kanya Maha Vidyalaya (KMV) in Jalandhar, Dr Rita Bawa, and three others were found murdered at her official residence, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld the conviction and life term awarded to three accused in the case.

A Division Bench of the high court, at the same, quashed and set aside the conviction and sentence awarded to accused Bhuto Yadav. He was booked under Section 412 of the IPC for dishonestly receiving property stolen in the commission of a dacoity.

The Division Bench of Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice NS Shekhawat also directed the SSP concerned to ensure that four proclaimed persons in the case were forthwith arrested.

“Before closing the appeals, this court is startled at the fact that accused Sachin Yadav, Ram Kumar, alias Ramu, Manoj Yadav and Ganesh Swarnkaar were declared proclaimed offenders on November 1, 2008. Yet, none of them were arrested,” the Bench added.

An FIR in the matter was registered on January 6, 2008, at Division No. 8 police station in Jalandhar for murder, criminal conspiracy and other offences. The trial court on March 21, 2011, sentenced convicts Momahhad Kadus, Mohammad Rehman and Ramandeep to undergo life imprisonment.

The Bench during the course of hearing was told that Dr Bawa’s driver on the morning of January 6, 2008, noticed the bodies of three employees at the back of her official residence. He immediately went to complainant Nisha Bhargave, who along with some others, went there. They entered the residence, where Dr Bawa was found murdered in the bedroom. The household articles were found lying scattered.

The Bench was also told that Mohammed Kadus during interrogation made a disclosure statement before an inspector that he had concealed two diamond rings. Similarly, accused Mohammed Rehman made a statement that he had concealed a silver coin, two gold bangles and a pouch.