Court to pronounce Pravin Mahajan's sentence

Mumbai, Dec 18: A Sessions Court will pronounce the quantum of sentence to Pravin Mahajan today, who was convicted for the murder of his elder brother and the BJP General Secretary Pramod Mahajan.

Ending the nine-month long eventful trial, Additional Session Court Judge S P Davare yesterday said considering all evidences brought on record by the prosecution during the trial process, accused Pravin Mahajan was found guilty under section 302 (Murder) and 449 (House trespass) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said the prosecution would study the judgement before deciding on what sentence they would seek for Pravin. Defence counsel for Pravin, Mukesh Modi said they would appeal against the conviction in the Bombay High Court.

A court on December 15 had accepted that Pravin had pre-planned the murder of Pramod. The court also said the SMSs allegedly sent by Pravin to Pramod proved that the murder had been pre-planned.

Earlier, the court had rejected the prosecution's theory that money could be the motive and the prime cause behind the acrimony between the two siblings. A total of 35 witnesses were examined during the trial, including Pravin"s wife Sarangi and the court recorded over 600 pages of depositions.

Pramod Mahajan's widow Rekha and their servant Mahesh Wankhede were the main witnesses in the case. Pravin surrendered before the police on April 22, 2006 admitting he had shot three bullets into Pramod at the latter"s flat in the Poornima building in Worli, Central Mumbai, after having an argument over some property dispute.

Pravin is currently lodged at the Arthur Road jail in central Mumbai, where he has been since his surrender to the police last year.

ANI>