10 years imprisonment to two for murdering caterer

Aurangabad, Oct 14:

An ad-hoc district and sessions judge A R Qureshi has awarded 10 years imprisonment to two accused on charge of murdering their friend and caterer Majid Zainoddin Patel (25, Sillod) when he refused to give them money. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 40,000 on accused Shaikh Asif Shaikh Hafiz and Shaikh Taj Shaikh Bismillah (both from Sillod) and ordered to pay the fine money as compensation against loss to the deceased's father.

According to the complaint lodged by one Shaikh Ismail, " The deceased was into the catering business. He had taken the responsibility of catering of mass marriage ceremony organised by MLA Abdul Sattar. He has got Rs 30,000 as an advance. Of which, he had spent Rs 12,000 and Rs 18,000 was with him. The complainant and the deceased, both were going from Sillod to Jalna to bring labourers on April 30, 2016. The accused contacted the caterer for money, but he refused to give it. The duo got angry and pushed him forcibly. As soon as Patel fell to the ground, they strangulated him. The accused Shaikh Taj kicked in Patel's ribs. The duo then took out Rs 18,000 from Patel's pocket and went away."

Patel was rushed for treatment to the government hospital, but the doctors declared him dead on examination. The offence was registered with the Sillod city police station.

The then PSI S B Kapure investigated the case. The district government pleader Avinash Deshpande has recorded the statements of 11 witnesses in connection with the case. One of them turned hostile. After completing the hearing, the judge announced the above punishment along with a fine under section 304 (2) of IPC under culpable homicide.