Doctor's -lynching case in Teok; Prime accused sentenced to death

Jorhat Court gives lifer to 24 other convicts

OUR CORRESPONDENT

JORHAT: A Court here, on Tuesday, sentenced Sanjay Rajowar to death by hanging and 24 other convicts to life imprisonment in the 'doctor-lynching case' that took place in the Teok Tea Estate on August 31, 2019. Sanjay Rajowar is the prime accused in the case. Besides, an additional fine of Rs 1,000 was imposed on each of the convicts.

Sanjay Rajowar is son of late Babu Rajowar, resident of Major line, Teok TE under Teok Police Station.

District and Sessions Judge Robin Phukan had convicted 25 out of the 31 accused in killing Deben Dutta, who was then serving as doctor of Teok Tea Estate. The sentence was served under Section 302 of IPC (murder and rioting) along with various other Sections of IPC and AMSP and MSI Act, (Assam Medicare Service Persons and Medicare 'Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property Act-2011). The sentence was pronounced after hearing the arguments of Durga Prasad Jaiswal, Special Public Prosecutor appointed for the case and defence lawyer Anup Kumar Dutta.

Advocate for the defence Anup Kumar Dutta said that they welcomed the verdict but would file an appeal in the Gauhati High Court. "After the verdict was announced, the families of the convicts have approached us; and we will file an appeal in the Gauhati High Court soon," he said.

Prime accused Sanjay Rajowar was accused of cutting the femoral artery in the thigh of Dr Deben Dutta with a glass shard; due to which, the doctor is reported to have bled to death.

Judge Phukan has sentenced all the convicts under Sections 302/149, 342/149, 353/148, 353/149 of IPC. Over and above these, 12 out of the 24 have been sentenced under Section 4 of AMSP and MSI Act, (Assam Medicare Service Persons and Medicare 'Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property Act, 2011), two out of the 25 under Section 148 IPC and 23 out of the 25 under Section 147 IPC.

Those sentenced to life imprisonment (Section 4 of AMSP and MSI Act) are Sanjib Rajowar, Suresh Rajowar, Ajoy Majhi, Upendra Bhumij, Ratul Rajowar, Bablu Rajowar, Anil Majhi, Bijoy Rajowar, Bolin Rajowar, Dipak Rajowar, Milon Rajowar, Rinku Majhi, Mishilal Majhi, Sibcharan Mahali, Debeswar Rajowar, Kartik Bhumiz, Sanjoy Rajowar, Kalicharan Mahali, Rameswar Bhumiz, Siba Mahali, Rahul Rajowar, Kalanag Majhi, Manoj Majhi, and Rinku Bakti.

Another accused, Hari Majhi (46) died of an ailment in the jail on September 23 and was declared "brought dead" by doctors at the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.

The same Court in its first ruling on October 12 had acquitted the following six: Debesawar Rajowar, son of Samla Rajowar, Arjun Majhi, Arun Majhi, Gulu Deb Majhi, Pritam Majhi alias Chotu bhai and Sanju Majhi.

The Court examined 56 of the 60 witnesses.

Additional Public Prosecutor of Jorhat, Angshuman Baruah and advocate Tridib Dutta helped the Special Public Prosecutor with the case.

The Jorhat Police led by the then SP (Superintendent of Police) Vaibhav C Nimbalkar, filed the charge sheet within 22 days after the murder.

Meanwhile, the ABITA has welcomed the Court's order.

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