Date:03/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/03/stories/2008050355430400.htm

New Delhi

CBI seeks death penalty in Sikand murder case

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday sought death penalty for 70-year-old retired Lieutenant-Colonel S. J. Chaudhary who has been held guilty of killing a businessman using a parcel bomb 26 years ago. The court is to pronounce the sentence on Saturday.

Arguing for maximum punishment before District and Sessions Judge Mamata Sehgal, the CBI counsel said the murder fell in the “rarest of the rare category” as it was pre-planned and carried out against a defenceless person without any provocation.

‘Normal murder’

Opposing the death plea, defence counsel S. P. Minocha told the court that it was a normal murder. He said there could be no bigger provocation for an Army officer than a man keeping his wife before the grant of divorce. After hearing the arguments, the Judge asked the authorities to produce the convict at 3 p.m. on Saturday when she is likely to award the sentence.

Earlier, the Tihar Jail authorities produced convict Chaudhary in the court of Additional Sessions Judge I. K. Kochhar at the Patiala House courts.