Two get life term for kidnapping, killing 10-year-old boy

Two persons were sentenced to life imprisonment by a court here for kidnapping and killing a 10-year-old boy in 2010.

Kalyan District Judge D S Hatrote convicted Rakesh Lakhara, 33, and Santosh Padchite, 44, on Tuesday and awarded life term to them.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 1.05 lakh on each of them. Of this amount, Rs 2 lakh is to be paid to the victim's father.

Two other accused were also tried in the case, but acquitted for lack of evidence.

The boy, Sunil Soni, the son of a city jeweller, was kidnapped by the duo on April 7, 2010, according to the prosecution.

The kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 5 lakh from the boy's father to free him. But they later strangled him to death and dumped his body near Ajde village in Thane district.

The accused were tracked down and arrested on the basis of their mobile phone location, the prosecution said.