The District Additional Sessions Judge Rahul Bhagwat has sentenced Vikesh Nagrale, whom the court had convicted in the sensational Ankita Pisudde murder case on Wednesday, to life imprisonment. The 32-year-old Nagrale has also been slapped with a fine of Rs 5,000. It may be noted that Nagrale was arrested on February 4, 2020, a day after the incident and has been in Nagpur jail since then. However, in its verdict, the court has not considered these two years in jail and therefore his lifer would be counted from February 10, 2022. The bloodcurdling incident of burning a young lecturer Ankita Pisudde alive in full public view had taken place in Hinganghat on February 3, 2020. After putting up a brave fight for life, Ankita had succumbed to her injuries on February 10. Now, exactly two years from her death, the court has sent the perpetrator of that horrible crime behind the bars.

 

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Ujjwal Nikam addressed mediapersons outside the court in Hinganghat on Thursday evening. He informed that the court announced the punishment at 5 pm. The court’s proceedings had begun at 11 am. Nagrale was brought to the court from Nagpur amid tight security. SPP Nikam pleaded that Nagrale be sent to the gallows citing the earlier cases of Macchi Singh v/s Punjab Government and Bacchan Singh v/s Punjab Government. Defence lawyer Adv Bhupendra Sone argued that while the real culprit was roaming freely Vikesh Nagrale, an innocent man, was being punished.

 

He said that he would file writ petition in the High Court on Monday challenging the decision of lower court. After the closing statements from both sides, the District Additional Sessions Judge Rahul Bhagwat sentenced Vikesh Nagrale to life imprisonment in its 150-page judgement, informed Adv Deepak Vaidya. Ankita’s parents have expressed satisfaction over the court decision. The then IG Nagpur Range Mallikaarjuna Prasanna had supervised the investigation. The Timeline n February 3, 2020, Ankita Pisudde, a lecturer, was set on fire after pouring petrol on her person when she was about to reach college in the morning. n February 4, 2020: Vikesh alias Vikesh Nagrale arrested from Butibori in Nagpur district. n February 10, 2020: Ankita dies while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Nagpur. n March 2, 2020: A 426-page chargesheet submitted in court. n March 4, 2020: Charges against accused Vikesh confirmed. n February 9, 2022: Court pronounces Nagrale guilty of the murder.

 

 

‘Satisfied with the sentence’ Investigating officer of the gruesome Ankita Pisudde murder case, SDPO Trupti Jadhav said that she was satisfied with the outcome of the case. “I was handed over a case that had moved many people emotionally. Care was taken while submitting the chargesheet that it remained devoid of any errors,” she said. 

 

Tight police bandobast, strong media presence in Court Just like Wednesday, police had maintained tight bandobast in the premises of District Additional Sessions Court in Hinganghat on Thursday as well. The Wardha Superintendent of Police Prashant Holkar was himself keeping an eye on the security arrangements made under the guidance of Addl SP Yashwant Solanki, Sub-Divisional Officer Dinesh Kadam and PSO Sampat Chavan. About 15 police officers and 125 policemen were present in the court premises. In addition to that four QRT commandos were also deployed along with anti-riot squad. There was strong media presence as well in the court premises considering the public attention the case had generated.