Delhi: Court sentences man to life for burning auto driver alive

He saw Arora asleep in his bed, poured kerosene on him and set him on fire, As Arora was burnt to death, the convict locked the room and said, “Ab le tere Rs 70,000 rupaiye (Now take your Rs 70,000)”, said the court records.

In the judgement convicting Kumar, the court said: “There is nothing to suggest that the accused had burnt the deceased in the “heat of the moment”. On the contrary, (the) deceased mentioned in his dying declaration that he had lent money to the accused and he was quarrelling over its return for two-three days and the same proves that (the) accused had intention as well as motive to kill the deceased.”

On the plea of the convict stating that he was falsely implicated in this case by the police and that the deceased was his good friend and had also owed money to other people, the court said, “the plea seems to be an afterthought and vague.”

“None of what was stated by the accused was put to any of the prosecution witnesses. It was not disclosed as to when money was lent or who were the persons to whom the deceased owed money. No such suggestion whatsoever was given to any of the witnesses as to the money transaction,” the court said.