Kolhapur : A former state excise inspector and his two sons have been sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment for the 2013 murder of a 29-year-old man near the post office at Ramanmala in Kolhapur city.
Chief district and sessions judge A M Patil sentenced Rajendra Ananda Sawant (63) and his sons Abhijeet Rajendra Sawant and Dhairyashil Rajendra Sawant on Monday. The murder followed a brawl involving Sawant’s sons and Shashikant Gaikwad on May 24, 2013, according to the prosecution. He shot Shashikant’s brother, Hemant Gaikwad (29) and also fired at Shashikant.
The eyewitness accounts and evidences such as ballistic report, the statement of the survivor led to the conviction,” she said. The three, who were out on bail, were arrested immediately after the verdict. Rajendra, then an inspector with the state excise department, subsequently arrived with his licensed service revolver. Hemant died, while Shashikant survived with a head injury. The three accused fled after the shooting and were subsequently arrested. They have been arrested.
His sons were also aware of the weapon, it said. The court noted that Rajendra, being an excise officer and licensed revolver holder, knew how to use the firearm.
The court further observed that the “conscious possession of licensed revolver and using of the said revolver to kill any person unlawfully itself is sufficient” to establish premeditation, conspiracy, intention and motive.