Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Umed Singh Grewal jailed Delhi resident Bikal Bhanot after holding him guilty of murdering the husband of his father's sister and looting Rs one lakh cash, some foreign currency and other valuables from the victim's house.
"The convict (Bhanot) is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life and a fine of Rs 20,000 is imposed for the offence punishable under section 302 (murder) of the IPC. The convict is also sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years with fine of Rs 10,000 for the offence punishable under section 397 (robbery) of the IPC," ASJ Grewal said.
The court convicted Bhanot on basis of recovery of stolen foreign currency from his car.
As per the prosecution, victim Bias Dev Shrma was found dead in his house at Janakpuri in West Delhi on May 15, 2008 afternoon by his wife, lying in a pool of blood with his throat slit open. The victim's wife had gone out for some time in morning and found her husband dead on returning home.
She told police that Rs one lakh cash, USD 1000 and 500 UK pounds along with a couple of cameras, a gold chain and a RADO watch, besides some other articles were missing from the house.
She had also told the police that the cash and foreign currency were withdrawn from the bank only a few days prior to the crime as the couple intended to visit their sons, residing in the USA.
The police had come to suspect Bhanot (rpt Bhanot) as there was no forced entry into the victim's house. It arrested him a day after the murder.
The deceased's wife had testified that the convict was her nephew but was treated as a son and she had told him that a large amount of cash and foreign currency was kept in the house for their intended trip to USA.
