In Haryana, man handed life in jail for killing friend 4 years ago

GURGAON: A Panipat court awarded rigorous imprisonment (RI) for life to a person on Wednesday for murdering his friend by administering a narcotic drug in 2019.
The convict heated up ‘smack’ (a form of heroin), put in three syringes and administered them to the victim, which led to his death within a few minutes. He then dumped the body in front of the victim’s house and fled.
During the trial, some witnesses, including the victim’s mother and sister, turned hostile, but the court relied on circumstantial evidence and held one of the accused guilty while another was acquitted on the benefit of doubt.
Panipat district attorney Rajesh Chaudhary said there were no eyewitnesses but the prosecution successfully proved the guilt of the convict by leading circumstantial evidence, such as by establishing that the victim was in the company of the accused persons before his death and they had brought his body home.
On March 23, 2019, Vikas, the victim, got a call from his friend Sunny and left his house. A few hours later, Sunny, along with Nawab, brought Vikas’ body to his house in a tempo and fled the spot. Vikas’ mother then informed police, following which a case was registered for murder against Sunny.
Forensic medicine expert Dr Narayan Dabas, in his statement before the court, mentioned that the cause of death in this case was complications from intravenous drug poisoning. Public prosecutor Arvind Sharma said police recovered three syringes and Vikas’ shirt after questioning Sunny. “This was a unique case wherein a narcotic drug was used a murder weapon,” Sharma said.
Sessions judge Sudesh Kumar Sharma, in his order, said all the circumstances taken together point to the fact that Sunny was the only person who could have murdered Vikas. Nawab was acquitted on the benefit of doubt.
Holding Sunny guilty of administering an injection having narcotic substances to Vikas, thereby committing his murder, the court said: “Keeping in view the nature of the offence, antecedents of the convict and other attending circumstances of the case, Sunny is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life.”