9 sent to life imprisonment for murder of NRI

Awarded jail term for kidnapping and murder of NRI businessman 12 years ago

A court here has awarded life imprisonment to nine persons for kidnapping and murder of Pratul Chandra Deb, an NRI businessman and BJP leader, 12 years ago.

The Additional Sessions Judge has sentenced Jamaluddin Mazumdar alias Budul Mian, Hemendra Chakma alias Batti Bura, Ranjit Chakma alias Phora, Sahdev Chakma alias Hurrhaba, Krishna Madhav Chakma, Kalapunnu Chakma alias Gunaban, Rupdhan Chakma, Sahdev Chakma alias Master and Khagendra Chakma alias Khagen to life imprisonment in the case.

"Seven witnesses, including three forensic experts, were examined during the trial. The trial court found all the nine accused guilty and convicted them," CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said here today.

Deb, who had taught in Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria for 14 years, finally settled in London in 1986, along with his family. In London, he was Executive Officer in the education department.

While his family took British citizenship, Deb continued on his Indian Passport and returned to Assam in 1999 after taking voluntary retirement.

He had contested 2001 Assembly election on BJP ticket from Katli Chera seat which was his ancestral town too. His contest was against his brother-in-law Gautam Roy, a Congress nominee who won and went on to become Cabinet Minister.

Deb had filed a case against Roy claiming that he was being intimidated and sought security which was not provided.

Later Deb started a bamboo business in Mizoram in which he suffered losses but continued with the business till he was abducted and killed in 2004 when he was travelling to Bhairavi in Mizoram.

CBI had registered the case under charges of criminal conspiracy, murder and kidnapping on April 20, 2005 on orders of the Gauhati High Court.

The agency found that on the way to Bhairavi, two armed persons in Army fatigue signalled them to stop. When Deb stopped, more persons emerged and they abducted him, along with his manager and driver.

The kidnappers demanded Rs 50 lakh as ransom but after negotiations, it was brought down to Rs 40 lakh, CBI investigation had found.

The driver and manager were released by the abductors who informed the family. Further negotiations brought down the ransom to Rs five lakh of which the first instalment of Rs two lakh was paid to the abductors at Silchar bus stand and the second instalment at Chaurnga by the family members, CBI had claimed in the charge sheet.

But Deb was hacked to death in the meantime. On the basis of disclosure made by the accused, skeleton of the deceased was recovered from Bhaincherrajugle in Hailakandi district, the CBI charge sheet had said.