A court in Maharashtra's Thane district on Thursday sentenced three persons to life imprisonment in the case of murder of the son of a local NCP (SP) functionary 18 years ago, and acquitted 10 others.
Additional Sessions Judge, Kalyan court, PR Ashturkar, held that the prosecution successfully proved the charges against the three accused.
The court in its order noted that charges against 10 others, including Shiv Sena functionary Mahesh Patil, have not not been proved. Hence, they were given the benefit of doubt and acquitted.
The prosecution told the court that on April 10, 2007, the accused opened fire at Vijay Patil, son of local NCP (SP) leader Vandar Patil, and killed him inside the gram panchayat office at Golavli in Kalyan area of Maharashtra's Thane district.
One person was also injured in the attack.
The Manpada police then registered an FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act against the accused.
Additional public prosecutors Bamre Patil and Sachin Kulkarni urged the court to give maximum of punishment to the accused.
The court convicted Vijay Bakane, Sunil Bhoir and Sajid Sheikh, and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
As many as 24 prosecution witnesses were examined to prove the charges, said court constable AR Gogarkar who assisted the prosecution in the trial.
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