Eight get life imprisonment for Cong worker's murder

Silvassa, Sep 5 (UNI) A lower court here today sentenced eight persons to life imprisonment for the murder of a Congress worker, Bapji Thakal Boya, during the Lok Sabha polls in 1996.

District and Sessions Court Judge S N Sodankar found Ivan Nuns of Shiv Sena, Uttam Patel (SS), Amrut Patel (SS), Jugal Patel (SS), Amrut Vazir Patel (SS), Vijay Maruti Mandre (SS), Natwarsinh Laxmansinh Chauhan (ex-sarpanch of Silvassa and now in JD-U) and Natwarsinh Ramesinh Chauhan (past Congress chief of Silvassa and now an independent) guilty of the crime and awarded the sentence.

The judge also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 each to be paid to the widow of the deceased.

The court, however, acquitted Fatehsinh Mohansinh Chauhan (JD-U state chief), in the case.

On April 29, 1996, a clash occurred at Khadoli village between the Congress and BJP workers backed by Shiv Sena. Boya, ex-sarpanch of Khanvel and a Congress supporter, was beaten to death with swords, hockey sticks and iron rods.

A complaint against the accused was filed by Dama Lakhia Chaudhary and a case was registered 12 years ago under sections 147, 148 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) among others and section 171 relating to polling.

Mohan S Delkar of the Congress defeated Sitaram Gawli of the BJP in the polls.

The case was heard twice in the Bombay High Court and once in the Supreme Court.

During the hearing in the trial court, all the eyewitnesses turned hostile. Even seven judges were changed in the trial court hearing. The eyewitnesses approached the High Court, saying that they had turned hostile as they were threatened. They pleaded that they should be given a chance to speak the truth. The High Court then ordered the trial court to recall all of them.

The accused gave an alibi saying that they were at a meeting with the then District Magistrate S P Marwah, which was later proved false.

UNI