Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26

Observing that offences such as robbery are increasing day by day in society, it is becoming difficult for ordinary and peaceful citizens to venture out of homes during night time, a Chandigarh court has sentenced two persons to seven-year imprisonment in a robbery case. A fine of Rs5,000 was also imposed on each convict.

Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Joshi awarded seven-year jail term to convicts Yodha Singh, alias Jodha, and his accomplice Lovepreet Singh, alias Happy, for looting a youth, saying they do not deserve any leniency.

According to prosecution, both convicts had looted a city resident, Sanjeev Kumar, of Rs10,000 and a gold chain when he was returning home at night after completing his duty in December 2017. They used a country-made pistol to commit the crime.

A case in this regard was registered at the Sector 17 police station on December 26, 2017, on the compliant of Sanjeev Kumar.

Yodha Singh has been held guilty and convicted under Sections 392/34, 397 and 411 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act and Lovepreet Singh has been held guilty and convicted under Sections 392 and 411 of the IPC.

As per the complaint filed before the police, Sanjeev said he was working at a dhaba in Sector 22-A, Chandigarh. After finishing his job, he was returning home on his motorcycle at 2 am. When he reached a few metres ahead of the Sector 22/23 light point, a white car stopped in front of his motorcycle. Two boys came out of the vehicle and asked him to handover whatever he had. One boy slapped him, while another one took out a weapon and hit him on his head. They forcibly robbed him of Rs10,000 and a gold chain and also threatened to kill him, if he raised the alarm.

The police later arrested both accused and recovered the stolen gold chain in two parts from them. The car and the pistol used in the crime were also recovered from Yodha Singh.

After hearing the arguments, the court said the prosecution had been fully able to prove that Lovepreet Singh and Yodha Singh robbed a gold chain and Rs10,000 from the complainant near the Sector 22/23 light point. Thus, the prosecution has proved the offence under Sections 392 and 34 of the IPC against both accused. Yodha Singh was armed with a country-made pistol at the time of the incident and he hit the complainant on the head with the pistol to commit the robbery. Thus, he is also liable to be convicted under Section 397 of the IPC.

Pistol recovered

The police later arrested both accused and recovered the stolen gold chain in two parts from them. The car and the pistol used in the crime were also recovered from Yodha Singh.

The charges

Yodha Singh has been held guilty and convicted under Sections 392/34, 397 and 411 of the IPC and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act and Lovepreet Singh has been held guilty and convicted under Sections 392 and 411 of the IPC.

The case