Jalgaon Court Death Penalty Four Siblings Murder Raver Taluka

Special Judge S R Yadav in June 4 verdict, which was made available on Friday, termed it a “premeditated and cold-blooded, exceptionally cruel” crime carried out in a “diabolic manner”; therefore, it was a rarest-of-the-rare case, and his act was unpardonable and warranted the death penalty for the accused, who was nearly 19 years old when he committed the crime.

As per police, the four deceased minors were killed with an axe in October, 2020 in Raver taluka, hours after their parents and older brother had left for their native village in Madhya Pradesh to attend the funeral of a family member.

The family had moved to the village from Madhya Pradesh around 2012 and had been staying on and cultivating their landlord’s banana and sorghum farm. The father of the minors was employed with the landlord and was staying on the farmhouse with his family members.

The prosecution claimed that the victims’ parents and their elder son had gone to their native place in Madhya Pradesh to attend the last rites of their relatives and had requested the informant/complainant landlord to look after their children.

On the morning of October 15, 2020, the informant visited his agricultural field and called the children to see if they had woken up; however, none responded. He then went near their house and pushed the door, where he found the minor children killed. He also noticed an iron axe stained with blood on the ground, and, being frightened, he rushed to the police and reported the matter.

The probing team found the accused was a friend of one of the minor victims and was seen with him on the day of the incident.

The police found that the accused had gone to stay at the victims’ residence during the night, raped the 13-year-old girl, and killed her and the other siblings with an iron axe.

The then Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who is now a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, had argued that, considering the facts and circumstances weighed with social and judicial conscience, it had to be termed a rarest-of-the-rare case.

The court observed that the accused did not suffer from any severe mental or emotional disturbance and instead executed the crime “in a calculated manner with precision” and “brutally killed them all without showing any mercy.”

The judge found that there was every possibility the accused “would create a continuing threat to society” and “make life miserable” for the witnesses in the case, including his father and uncle, who are “least bothered to protect his interest and supported the truth”; therefore, their lives “cannot be put in peril” by showing the accused unnecessary sympathy.

The court also found “no scope for reformation and rehabilitation of the accused and his reintegration into society.”

“The accused is guilty of the reprehensible and nefarious offence. Any leniency to the accused for his barbaric and dastardly act will have devastating effects on society,” the judge observed and granted him a double death penalty for rape and murder, which is to be executed subject to confirmation by the High Court.

Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions. Expertise & Authority Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage. Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in: Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include: Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes). Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty). Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict. Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability. Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges. Omkar Gokhale's consistent, focused reporting on the judiciary establishes him as a definitive and authoritative voice for legal developments originating from Mumbai and impacting the entire state of Maharashtra. ... Read More