KANPUR A special MP/MLA court in Auraiya on Wednesday sentenced former Samajwadi Party MLC Kamlesh Pathak and nine other accused to life imprisonment for the 2020 double murder of lawyer Manjul Chaubey and his cousin Sudha.
The sentence was pronounced after the court heard arguments on the quantum of punishment following the lunch break. The police and district administration also invoked Gangsters Act against Pathak and other accused and attached their properties. The trial continued for nearly six years. In a separate case arising from an alleged attack on police personnel during the same sequence of events, the court acquitted six accused — Satyendra Mishra alias Dabbu, Rajendra Kumar Bajpai, Ramchandra Mishra, Alok Chaturvedi, Shubham Dubey and Hargovind alias Guddu. Another accused, Ravi Chaturvedi, died during the trial.
Earlier in the day, the court convicted all 10 accused of murder, attempt to murder and offences under the Arms Act. Properties worth around ₹ 36.15 crore belonging to Kamlesh Pathak, ₹ 9.75 crore belonging to Santosh Pathak and ₹ 7.51 crore belonging to Ramu Pathak were seized, according to officials. The prosecution examined 32 witnesses, while the defence produced 39 witnesses.
One other accused, a minor at the time, was facing proceedings separately before the juvenile justice board. Security was tightened around the court complex on Wednesday as the verdict and sentencing were delivered.
