Shooter gets life term in Gulshan murder case

The court had reserved its judgement till today as the prosecution had argued for the death penalty while the defence had pleaded for life imprisonment.

Judge Tahiliyani has convicted Rauf Merchant under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 392 and 397 (robbery) of the IPC as well as Section 27 of the Arms Act. He has been sentenced to seven years’ RI under Sections 392 and 397 in addition to a fine of Rs 1,000; three years’ RI under the Arms Act in addition to a fine of Rs 1,000 and life imprisonment under Sections 302 and 307 of the IPC in addition to a fine of Rs 5,000.

All the sentences will run concurrently. Merchant is one of the three hitmen who had shot T-Series proprietor Gulshan Kumar at Lokhandwala Complex on August 12, 1997. His brother, Rasheed Daud Merchant, was named by the prosecution as the second hitman and another absconding accused, Anil Sharma, was identified as the third.