The additional sessions court in Baramati has sentenced a fish farmer and his 25-year-old son to life imprisonment for murdering their relative following a dispute over his decision to reside in their native village under Daund tehsil.
He was related to both the victim and the accused and was present in Koravadi on the day of the local gram panchayat elections. He testified that he saw Akash lift Japan and slam him to the ground, following which Gorakh allegedly assaulted him on the head with an iron rod. Additional Sessions Judge SR Patil convicted Gorakh Aba Kale, 51, and his son Akash alias Akshay Gorakh Kale, 25, under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in his order on August 19. On January 15, Ladki had gone to Daund with family members to collect work-related payments. The prosecution case primarily rested on the testimony of a witness, who was 13 at the time of the incident. He told the court that at around 3 pm, a quarrel broke out behind the informant’s house.
The prosecution told the court that the father-son duo opposed Japan staying in Koravadi and repeatedly insisted that he remain at his in-laws’ native place in Bhigwan. Later that afternoon, while she was having tea near Sindhi School in Daund, Akash allegedly approached her on a motorcycle and told her that someone had killed Japan and that his body had been left behind a nearby hill.
Despite their objections, Japan returned to Koravadi and began living with his mother, Ladki, about three months before the incident.
It also argued that some family members had not fully supported the prosecution case during the trial. The court also imposed a fine of ₹ 10,000 on each and directed that the total ₹ 20,000 be paid to the victim’s widow, Manisha Chavan, as compensation.
The defence, represented by advocate VN Burungale, questioned the reliability of the child witness and pointed to omissions in his earlier statements.
