Accepting the testimony of an eye witness, the Bombay High Court has upheld the life sentence imposed on a resident of Sangli in a double murder case.
Hearing an appeal filed by Janardhan Mali against his conviction, justices P D Kode and V K Tahilramani upheld his life sentence, saying that evidence adduced in the trial court corroborated with the version given by the eye witness.
"On going through the record, we find that there is sufficient evidence on record to show that the appellant had assaulted Sangita and Indubai with sword and caused their death. Thus, we find no merit in the appeal and hence it is dismissed," said the judges in their order last week.
The victims, Sangita Mane and her sister-in-law Indubai, were slain by Janardhan Mali on July 20, 2007, when they had gone to a field with goats for grazing in Ghavali Shivar area at Upale Wangi in Sangli district.
Janardhan arrived at that place with a sword and struck a blow at Indubai who shouted and fell down. He then took on Sangita and hit her hard on the head. She too fell down asking "Why are you killing me, what harm have I done to you?"
Hearing this, Janardhan blurted out "In order to break relationship with me, you accused me of theft. There is no use in keeping you alive." After committing the crime, he ran away.
