Two get life terms for murder of NRI's father during robbery

New Delhi, Apr 10 (UNI) The Delhi High Court has upheld the life imprisonment of two robbers, who killed the father of an NRI in the posh South Extension area of the Capital 17 years back.

While confirming the life term to Vikram Rampal and Vinod Kumar for the murder of R P Tuli, a division bench of Justices R S Sodhi and P K Bhasin said, ''We find no infirmity in the judgement handed out to the convicts by the subordinate court.'' ''The trial court placed reliance on the statement of Komal, the daughter of R P Tuli, and we found no error in the reasoning of the Sessions Judge,'' the order said.

''Her testimony together with the recovery of ornaments and other articles from the convicts, leave no manner of doubt that the trial court has correctly analysed the evidence before it to arrive at its conclusion,'' said the judges.

Vikram and Vinod had entered the house of Tuli on the evening of October 23, 1990 and killed him.

Tuli's son is an non-resident Indian(NRI) in the U S and was visiting his parents frequently.

The convicts knew that Tulis had lots of money and ornaments.

Komal, who was working with the Titan showroom at South Extension, came to her house at 1925 hrs and found both the convicts were inside the house.

Vikram opened the door and introduced himself as the son of her father's friend. But when Komal crossed the drawing room, she found Vinod with a dagger in front of the bath room, where Tuli was lying in a pool of blood.

Both tied Komal with a 'dupatta' and ransacked the house. They decamped with ornaments, foreign-make pants, shirts and other valuable articles.

After they left, Komal untied herself and called the neighbours for help. Tuli was taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where he was declared dead on arrival.

The police nabbed both the convicts near Vimal Jewellers in Karol Bagh, where they had gone to sell of the stolen jewellery.

On interrogation, both confessed that they had kept rest of the stolen articles in a room in Rekha Guest House in Paharganj.

The police recovered most of the stolen jewellery and articles from the possession of the convicts.

On the basis of the evidence and statements of the witnesses, the subordinate judge had sentenced both to life imprisonment on July 21, 1998.

UNI