Daijiworld Media Network - Malshiras

Malshiras, Nov 22: In a historic verdict, the District and Sessions Court of Malshiras has sentenced Shankar Sarwade to life imprisonment for the murder of his former lover near a sugarcane field in Wafegaon, Malshiras taluka. The accused killed the woman in a fit of rage after she ended their illicit relationship.

The victim was the wife of Mohan Shankar Bansode, a Gram Panchayat member. She had terminated her relationship with Sarwade about a month prior to the murder. Following the breakup, the accused repeatedly pressured her to reconcile and threatened to kill her if she refused. On September 19, 2022, while her husband was away for work, Sarwade took the woman to a field, forced her into an intimate act, and then strangled her to death. To destroy evidence, he left the body nude and removed her clothes, discarding them elsewhere.

The complaint was filed by Mohan Bansode at Akluj Police Station. During the investigation, Sarwade revealed the crime scene through a formal survey. The trial, presided over by District and Sessions Judge L.D. Huli, included testimonies from 15 witnesses, comprising the victim’s mother, eyewitnesses, and investigating officers. The victim’s clothes were sent for chemical analysis, which confirmed the presence of the accused’s blood, forming a key part of the prosecution’s case.

The court found Sarwade guilty under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced him to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs 2,000 (non-payment leading to two months simple imprisonment). He was also convicted under Section 201 for destruction of evidence, receiving three years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 (non-payment leading to one month simple imprisonment).

Government advocates Sangram Patil, S.A. Dhawle, and S.T. Mevegiri presented the prosecution’s case effectively, while G.P. Kadam represented the complainant.