Nagpur: In a significant development, the Nagpur District and Sessions Court has handed down a life imprisonment sentence to Suraj Sahu for his involvement in the abduction and killing of Raj Pandey. The verdict was announced here, on Thursday following a chargesheet filed by the MIDC police in a remarkable 22-day timeframe.
Senior Police Inspector Dinesh Labde filed the chargesheet on the 22nd day since the murder of 14-year-old Raj Pandey, which took place on June 10. The court accepted the chargesheet on July 8, 2021.
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05 May 2025
The accused, Suraj Sahu, carried out the abduction and murder of Raj from Indiramata Nagar as an act of revenge. He was driven by intense anger after the Pandey family relocated his childhood friend, who had become his love interest, to Varanasi, where she was married off. Sahu allegedly took Raj to the forest near Salai Godhani on a motorcycle, where he brutally bludgeoned him to death with a stone and slit his veins.
Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar had directed the police to expedite the chargesheet filing process. Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police Noorul Hasan supervised the preparation of the chargesheet.
The chargesheet highlights that the accused had custody of the boy and further reveals that Sahu led the investigation agency to the crime scene and the location where he had disposed of the body. One crucial piece of evidence submitted alongside the chargesheet is a series of mobile phone conversations between the accused and the victim’s family. These audio clips contain admissions from the accused regarding the abduction of Raj.
The police also succeeded in recovering the surgical blade used to slit the veins of the victim’s hand. The statement of the medical store owner, from whom the accused had purchased the surgical blade, was recorded by the police and included in the chargesheet. The store owner has positively identified the accused. Additionally, the chargesheet reveals that the murder was premeditated, planned several days prior to the incident.
Inspector Labde has also sent a letter to the regional forensic science laboratory, requesting a chemical analysis report. This report will serve as crucial evidence to be subsequently presented in court.
The Nagpur District and Sessions Court’s decision to award life imprisonment to Suraj Sahu reflects the seriousness of the crime committed against Raj Pandey. The chargesheet, supported by substantial evidence and meticulous investigation, played a pivotal role in securing this outcome. The verdict brings a sense of justice to the victim’s family and serves as a reminder of the importance of swift and thorough legal action in cases of heinous crimes.
