After 11 years of trial, Delhi Court to pronounce sentence in kidnapping and murder of minor

A Delhi Court is set to pronounce sentence on Tuesday in a case where a 12-year-old boy kidnapped and then strangled to death by his neighbour in Rohini area of Outer Delhi for ransom money.

Additional Sessions Judge Shivaji Anand on September 30 had convicted the accused Jeevek Nagpal for the offences under IPC 364A (Kidnapping for ransom), 302 (Punishment for murder), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation).

The Court is now set to pronounce sentencing in the matter on Tuesday (today). The court while holding the accused guilty stated that it has been proved on record that the accused had kidnapped the minor child Manan (deceased) and demanded Ransom in crores of rupees from father Rajesh Mahajan.

".....The chain of evidence has established that all the incriminating circumstances clearly point out towards the accused. It has also been proved on record that after kidnapping the minor child Manan Mahajan (since deceased), he committed his murder by intentionally killing him....." Court said

The Court in order copy stated that "After having gone through the whole discussion, not only the chain of circumstances point out towards the commission of offences committed by the accused, but also the intention to cause the murder of child Manan Mahajan (since deceased) as per the definition of Section 300 IPC is also made out.

There are messages, which were sent by the accused to father of deceased child namely Rajesh Mahajan from his mobile phone, which was recovered from him after his arrest. The said messages clearly reflect the intention of the accused, whereby he has threatened that child will be put to death if the ransom amount is not given.

Order copy also mentioned that 'One of the messages sent by the accused is that if the ransom amount is not given, one finger will be cut after every 15 minutes and after cutting of fingers the child will be no more. Another message sent by the accused to father of kidnapped child reads like "jitni aas se tere bete ko uthaya hai, utni aas hum tumhare ghar ko bhi uda sakte hain"

The court held guilty the accused now convicted Jeevek Nagpal, noted that it was the accused only who had kidnapped the child Manan on March 18 in 2009, thereafter committed his murder and then disposed of his body by throwing it in a "naali". It has further been proved on record that he caused the evidence of the case to disappear i.e. by disposing of the dead body of the deceased child in a dry drain with an intention to screen himself from legal punishment, Court said.

( With inputs from ANI )