In Sessions

Notorious gangsters Baba Gabriel and Bacchi Pandey were charged with possession of sophisticated arms and ammunition, and have also been sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment under the Arms Act. Both the accused were arrested near Kalboro Polyester Limited, Andheri, and found in possession of weapons. At the instance of Bacchi Pandey, three others 8212; Shaikh Mohammed Harshad Shaikh, Javed Dalani and Tirupati Kotiyan 8212; were arrested near Pappillon Tailors, Khar.

All the accused were then chargesheeted under Section 5 of TADA. However, during pendency of the trial, Gabriel and Pandey escaped from custody. Thereafter, the cases of the two were separated and the other accused tried and convicted under TADA for five years rigorous imprisonment. The accused moved the Supreme Court, which also confirmed the sentence given by theTADA judge.

In 1995, Baba Gabriel was arrested at Udipi and brought to Mumbai, and the same year, Bacchi Pandey was arrested at New Delhi and lodged at Tihar jail. He was later brought to Mumbai. The case of the two was reopened by special public prosecutor Rohini Salian, who applied to them the Supreme Court8217;s confirmation order given in the case of the other three accused.

2 charged in BJP MLA murder case released

Two persons charged with hatching the conspiracy to murder former BJP MLA Premkumar Sharma were discharged by Additional Sessions judge P M Joshi last week.

The police had charged Ayub Khan and Hayat Ansari with hatching the plot to kill Sharma one month before his murder. Sharma was killed by members of the Dawood gang on June 1, 1993.

Khan and Ansari were arrested two years after Sharma8217;s death, and their bail plea was rejected by the Sessions judge on the grounds that they had been absconding. They then appealed to the High Court, which granted them bail as the prosecutionfailed to prove charges of conspiracy against them.

Counsel for the accused Vijay Tulpule, along with Kamar Merchant for Ayub and M K Pathare for Ansari, then applied the High Court order in the discharge application as well.

7-year-term for man who killed neighbour

Additional Sessions judge T Y Hiwrale on Friday sentenced Narendra Bipin Barua to seven years rigorous imprisonment for murdering his neighbour at Kandivli. Barua has also been given one year rigorous imprisonment for injuring two others. The sentences will run concurrently.

According to special public prosecutor M H Joshi, the incident took place on September 20, 1996, at a Satyanarayan pooja held at the home of Prabhakar Mhatre at Poisar. Since the function was to continue throughout the night, some of those present were playing a game of cards.

While the game was in progress, Barua threw a chappal at Ajit Patil, following which there was a scuffle between the two. Barua then threatened Ajit with dire consequences, and aftersome time, assaulted Ajit and his brother Deepak with a knife. In the melee, Ajit8217;s cousin Kamlakar, who rushed to his rescue, was stabbed in the abdomen. Kamalakar was rushed to the Bhagwati Hospital, but was declared dead before admission. Barua was arrested from his residence, and the knife used was seized.

In all, 16 witnesses, including those who sustained injuries, were examined, and the judge in his order convicted Barua, saying that there was direct evidence against him despite the fact that some of the witnesses were relatives of the deceased.