Nagpur: Supreme Court on Friday upheld the triple life imprisonment awarded to Ayush Pugalia, the main accused in 8-year old Kush Kataria kidnapping and murder case. The District and Sessions Court had sentenced Ayush Pugalia to double life term in the case that was later upheld by Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court too but it enhanced the sentence to triple lifer. The Division Bench of Justice P C Ghosh and Justice Amitava Roy at Supreme Court upheld the judgements of the two lower courts.
The High Court had awarded triple life imprisonments to the main accused Ayush Pugalia holding him guilty under Section 302 of IPC (murder), Section 364 (kidnapping) and Section 364-A (kidnapping for ransom). Ayush moved the Supreme Court and filed a Special Leave Petition challenging the ruling of the High Court. At the same time, the State Government and Kush’s father too filed Special Leave Petitions seeking death sentence to the main accused.
The Supreme Court heard the three petitions simultaneously. During the hearing, all the three petitions were dismissed by the Supreme Court. Similarly, the judgement of High Court was upheld. The first two life terms are to be undergone one after the other while the third life term will go parallel.
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Chronology:
- 11.10.2011: Kush kidnapped.
- 11.10.2011: Shubham Baid and Ridam Puria informed police.
- 11.10.2011: Kush’s cousin sister phoned and called.
- 12.10.2011: Prashant Kataria lodges complaint with police.
- 13.10.2011: Scooter used in crime seized.
- 13.10.2011: Ayush Pugalia arrested as suspect.
- 13.10.2011: Brothers of Ayush helped in destroying evidence.
- 15.10.2011: Body of Kush found.
- 07.01.2012: Chargesheet filed in court.
- 03.10.2012: Trial begins in District and Sessions Court.
- 04.04.2013: Court awards double life imprisonment.
- 08.04.2013: Kataria family moves HC, demands death sentence.
- 14.10.2013: Rajendra Daga named Special Govt Pleader.
- 27.04.2015: Hearing in High Court begins.
- 22.06.2015: High Court verdict: Triple life imprisonment.
- 11.03.2016: Supreme Court upholds triple lifer.
