Boy8217;s testimony convicts mother8217;s killers

According to the prosecution Jawahar and Mahesh came to the Lal8217;s house around 1.30 p.m. on October 19, 1993. Rita made tea for them and they chatted for half-an-hour. Things suddenly started getting out of control when the duo demanded that Rita hand over her belongings.

They allegedly snatched her gold chain and then repeatedly stabbed her with a pair of scissors in the chest, neck and stomach. When Bharat tried to intervene, he was also assaulted. Jawahar and Mahesh then left with Rs 6,500 in cash and gold and silver ornaments. Madan Lal returned from work around 8.30 p.m. to find his son bleeding and his wife murdered. He rushed his son to Sarvodaya Hospital.

The accused were arrested that night after a raid was conducted at their Karol Bagh office, and the money and jewellery recovered.

The ASJ said: 8220;8230; the ocular testimony of Bharat Balwani coupled with the circumstantial evidence corroborated by CFSL and post-mortem reports undoubtedly prove the commission of the offence by the accused.8221;

The defence counsel maintained that Bharat had concocted the story implicating his uncles, at the behest of his father. However, the judge said: 8220;The minor child aged 13-14 years is not at all expected to falsely depose against his relations simply on the tutoring of his father or the police, as alleged by the accused.8221;

The accused pleaded for a lenient view, but the ASJ ordered: 8220;The accused persons killed their own relation for greed of cash and ornaments. They did not even spare the minor child. The accused persons betrayed the confidence of the deceased who had welcomed them without suspecting their evil intention.8221;