Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Nov 27: The third additional district and sessions court on Friday November 27 sentenced three of the five convicts in the murder of advocate Naushad Kashimji to rigorous life imprisonment.
Dinesh Shetty of Nayataru Village in Beltangady taluk, Ritesh alias Reetu and Ganesh, residents of Kodikal in the city, Pratap Shetty from Kavoor and Subrahmanya from Kadri were convicted on Wednesday November 25.
Among the five, the first three accused, Dinesh, Pratap and Ritesh were sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment under IPC sections 302 and 120 B, and Rs 20,000 penalty each. Failure to pay the fine would result in another five years of rigorous imprisonment.
They were also sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 5,000 penalty under Arms Act sections 3 and 25.
The other two convicts, Subrahmanya and Ganesh, were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment under IPC sections 201 and Rs 10,000 penalty each. Failure to pay the penalty would mean another three years of rigorous imprisonment in jail.
Subrahmanya and Ganesh were also awarded six months of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 5,000 fine under IPC section 202. They would spend additional five months in prison if they fail to pay the penalty.
The amount paid as penalty by the convicts would go to Naushad Kashimji's wife and children.
Naushad, who had appeared on behalf of Rashid Malbari, a close associate of Dawood Ibrahim and many others, was shot dead near his apartment at Falnir on April 9, 2009.
Speaking to reporters, Naushad's brother Sameer Kashimji welcomed the judgement and said, "It is a victory for justice. The verdict is satisfying to a certain extent, but the actual perpetrators are still at large, and the ones convicted are just the supari killers who had no grudge or enmity towards Naushad. The real killers also should be arrested. Nevertheless, this judgement is a lesson for all involved in the murder.
He also thanked and congratulated public prosecutor Narayana Sherigar and said that he had done an excellent job in bringing the guilty to book.