A sessions court in Pune has convicted and sentenced a 51-year-old casual worker, Mukind Sheku Hate, to life imprisonment for the murder of a woman following a prior quarrel between neighbors in a chawl in Susgaon on February 16, 2016. The court also sentenced Hate to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for attempting to murder one of the injured eyewitnesses, with both sentences to run concurrently.
Court Relies on Eyewitness Testimony
The court relied on the testimony of three injured eyewitnesses and rejected the accused's plea of legal insanity, stating that such a plea must be supported by medical papers or expert testimony. Additional Sessions Judge H M Bhosale observed that the prosecution witnesses' evidence remained unchallenged in material particulars, and nothing in cross-examination impeached their credibility.
Details of the Incident
Public prosecutor Javed Khan stated that the accused and the victims lived in adjacent rooms in the Susgaon chawl. Following a previous quarrel, Hate stabbed Nandabai Kamble and attacked three members of a neighboring family who tried to intervene. The injured were taken to a hospital, where Kamble was declared dead.
Medical Evidence Corroborates Testimony
The court held that the prosecution proved the accused fatally stabbed his neighbor and injured three others during the assault. The testimony of the injured eyewitnesses was consistent and unshaken despite cross-examination, and it was corroborated by medical evidence confirming stab injuries sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course of nature.
Insanity Plea Rejected
Regarding the insanity plea, the court noted that the accused could have examined his treating doctors but made no such attempt. Additionally, evidence showed that the accused attended his work daily and managed his routine affairs, indicating he was not legally insane at the time of the crime.
