Jharkhand High Court Judges Split Over Death Sentence in Superintendent of Police Murder Case

Ranchi: Divergent views of two judges of the Jharkhand high court in a criminal appeal pertaining to confirmation of death sentence of convicts accused of murdering Pakur superintendent of police Amarjit Balihar was heard by Justice Gautam Kumar Choudhary on Friday.Justice Choudhary will hear the appeals filed by Pravir Murmu alias Pravir Da and Santan Baskey alias Tala Da challenging the death sentence awarded to them by the Dumka Sessions Judge on Sept 26, 2018. On July 17, a division bench of Justices Rongon Mukhopadhyay and Sanjay Prasad had heard the appeals and pronounced different verdicts. While Justice Mukhopadhayay held the view of acquitting the convicts, Justice Prasad found the convicts guilty and upheld the death sentence. Justice Prasad had also ordered the state govt to pay a compensation of Rs 2 crore to the kin of Balihar and further provide a job in the rank of DSP/deputy collector to the son and daughter of the deceased police officer.Further, Justice Prasad had ordered the govt to pay a compensation of Rs 50 lakh each to the family members of the five police constables who died in the incident along with Balihar and provide a Grade IV post job in the govt on compassionate grounds. The case is now being heard by Justice Choudhary whose verdict will be wither of the two.The incident dates back to July 2, 2013, when Balihar and his team of policemen were ambushed by extremists. The Maoists had opened fire on two police vehicles, claiming the lives of five policemen , identified as Rajiv Kumar Sharma, Manoj Hembram, Chandan Kumar Thapa, Ashok Kumar Srivastava and Santosh Kumar Mandal and SP Amarjit Balihar.The prosecution had examined 31 witnesses, including the two witnesses, after which the Sessions Judge of Dumka ordered a death sentence to the two convicts. The high court while deciding the matter earlier held divergent views and passed the judgement.