Allahabad HC relief to Manjunath murder prime accused

The Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court today commuted the capital punishment awarded to Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIML), alumni Manjunath murder case accused Pawan Kumar Mittal alias Monu Mittal to life imprisonment.

The court further acquitted two other accused, giving them the benefit of doubt.

However, the life terms given to five other accused were maintained by a division bench of the HC comprising Justices K K Mishra and Dharmavir Shamra.

Earlier, the Lakhimpur Kheri sessions court had convicted them for the crime, pronouncing capital punishment to Mittal and life terms to the other accused. All these accused had challenged their sentences in the HC by way of separate petitions. Manjunath was a sales officer with the Indian Oil Corporation, when he was murdered in November 2005.

On November 21, 2005, the police intercepted a car in the morning hours in Mahauli area of Sitapur district. Later, a body was recovered from the car, which was identified as that of Manjunath.

On interrogation, the convicts had revealed that Manjunath was shot dead at Mittal’s petrol pump in Kheri and they were carrying the body for disposal.Later, a case was registered at Gola police station of Kheri on November 22, 2005, which mentioned that the crime had taken place two days earlier, on November 20.