NOIDA: A 32-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday for murdering an engineer in Dadri in 2018.
The victim, Mohit Bhati (then 28), had been working as a project engineer for a local contractor with Greater Noida Authority since 2015. He was local SP functionary Mahesh Bhati’s son. Mohit lived in Luharli village, Dadri, with his parents, wife and daughter.
Chaman Prakash Sharma, Mohit’s counsel, said his family launched a search for him and informed police when he didn’t reach home on November 27, 2018. At 8 pm, a few locals informed the police that a body was found in a car in Naya Gaon village. The body was taken to a private hospital where the doctors confirmed that he was dead.
Mohit was shot thrice – once in his chest and twice in the back. An FIR was initially filed against unidentified people on charges of murder and Arms Act in Dadri police station. Later, a witness, Chandrahas, informed the police that he saw Mohit along with two others in the car while he was passing by that area.
“While Mohit was in the passenger’s seat on the front, while accused Punit Bhati was driving the car. One more person was sitting in the rear seat. Chandrahas had crossed them when he heard gunshots. He returned to the car and found Punit and his accomplice fleeing the spot,” the counsel told the court.
Sharma said Punit had killed Mohit over political rivalry. “Mohit’s father is a local politician, while Punit also belongs to a political family,” he said. His accomplice was identified as a juvenile and is being tried in the Juvenile Justice Board.
Jyotsna Singh, additional district judge, Gautam Budh Nagar, on Monday sentenced Punit to life imprisonment under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Punit was also sentenced to three years of imprisonment under Section 25/27 of Arms Act.
The additional district judge, in the order, also fined him Rs 10,000. Both the sentences will run concurrently, the court said.
The victim, Mohit Bhati (then 28), had been working as a project engineer for a local contractor with Greater Noida Authority since 2015. He was local SP functionary Mahesh Bhati’s son. Mohit lived in Luharli village, Dadri, with his parents, wife and daughter.
Chaman Prakash Sharma, Mohit’s counsel, said his family launched a search for him and informed police when he didn’t reach home on November 27, 2018. At 8 pm, a few locals informed the police that a body was found in a car in Naya Gaon village. The body was taken to a private hospital where the doctors confirmed that he was dead.
Mohit was shot thrice – once in his chest and twice in the back. An FIR was initially filed against unidentified people on charges of murder and Arms Act in Dadri police station. Later, a witness, Chandrahas, informed the police that he saw Mohit along with two others in the car while he was passing by that area.
“While Mohit was in the passenger’s seat on the front, while accused Punit Bhati was driving the car. One more person was sitting in the rear seat. Chandrahas had crossed them when he heard gunshots. He returned to the car and found Punit and his accomplice fleeing the spot,” the counsel told the court.
Sharma said Punit had killed Mohit over political rivalry. “Mohit’s father is a local politician, while Punit also belongs to a political family,” he said. His accomplice was identified as a juvenile and is being tried in the Juvenile Justice Board.
Jyotsna Singh, additional district judge, Gautam Budh Nagar, on Monday sentenced Punit to life imprisonment under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Punit was also sentenced to three years of imprisonment under Section 25/27 of Arms Act.
The additional district judge, in the order, also fined him Rs 10,000. Both the sentences will run concurrently, the court said.