Babloo Srivastava sentenced to life imprisonment

New Delhi, July 3 (UNI) A fast track court sentenced underworld don Babloo Srivastava and businessman Nitin Shah, who had hired him to kill an East Delhi trader 13 years ago, to life imprisonment today.

Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track) Rajinder Kumar also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 each on them while holding them guilty under sections 120(b), 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code in the Lalit Suneja murder case.

Another accused, Manjit Mange, was acquitted for lack of evidence.

Babloo, Shah and Mange were present in court when the judgement was delivered. According to the prosecution, Suneja was murdered at Shah's behest because he did not want to return money he had taken from him.

The case was transferred to the fast track court last April on High Court orders.

In July last year, the court had allowed re-opening of recording of evidence after the prosecution submitted that six key witnesses including five senior police officials were inadvertently left out.

Babloo had objected to the move saying it would delay the case.

Opposing the prosecution plea to examine six key witnesses, he had said ''the plea itself is prima facie unjustified, unfair, illegal and grossly violates his fundamental right for speedy trial''. The court, however, rejected his plea.

UNI XC AK HS1526