Sambalpur: In a major breakthrough in a long-pending murder case, the District & Sessions Court in Sambalpur on Thursday convicted seven persons for the brutal killing of a man in 2021 and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
Pronouncing the judgment on Thursday, the Court of the District & Sessions Judge, Sambalpur found all seven accused guilty under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 148 (rioting), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), and 149 (unlawful assembly).
The court sentenced each of the convicts to life imprisonment along with a fine of ₹10,000 under Section 302/149 IPC. Additionally, they were awarded rigorous imprisonment of 10 years under Section 307/149 IPC and two years under Section 148 IPC.
The case relates to Katarbaga PS Case No. 165/2021, in which a complaint was lodged on September 17, 2021, following the murder of Prakash Pradhan a day earlier.
According to the prosecution, the victim was attacked with deadly weapons near Jagdish Biswal Hotel on the PWD Road at Padhanpali under Katarbaga police limits. The accused, acting with common intention, carried out the assault leading to his death.
Police completed the investigation and filed the charge sheet on January 12, 2022.
Sambalpur Police stated that the conviction reflects sustained efforts in ensuring justice through meticulous investigation and strong presentation of evidence in court.
