: A man has been awarded life imprisonment for murdering his colleague in 2013, who was working with him at the bungalow allotted to the then Mizoram Chief Secretary.
The court awarded the jail term to 27-year-old Vikram Chhetri, a native of Mizoram, for murdering Puia, who was working as a driver at the bungalow at Ansari Road in Daryaganj, with a chopper.
The court was told that the victim was attacked by the chopper 22 times.
According to police, the motive behind the murder was a quarrel that took place between Vikram, who was working as a cook, and Puia over a mobile internet package and a beer bottle.
“Taking into account the circumstances, I am of the considered opinion that the prosecution has been able to prove that the deceased was murdered by the accused with the chopper in the servant quarter of Bungalow No.115, Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi,” said Additional Sessions Judge Atul Kumar Garg.
“These evidence are very crucial in this case because of motive. There was a quarrel between Vikram and Puia over the beer bottle,” the judge said, adding that strong motive for the offence had been established from the events.
The court awarded the life term to Vikram saying the case has not been covered in the ‘rarest of rare’ category that warranted the death penalty.
According to the prosecution, Vikram murdered Puia around 2.30 am on June 30, 2013, and then fled the spot. He was arrested from Guwahati.
Police said that on the night of the incident, Puia was angry with Vikram as the latter had allegedly exhausted his mobile internet package and mobile phone balance without his permission.
It was said that Vikram also consumed Puia’s beer, which was followed by a quarrel.
The duo was reportedly pacified by other employees. The next morning, Puia was found murdered while Vikram was absconding.
Police also said that the government bungalow was allotted to L. Tochhong, the then Chief Secretary of Mizoram.
During the trial, Vikram claimed that he was innocent.
He claimed that he was asked by the nephew of the chief secretary to leave the house, after which he left for Guwahati. — PTI
Police said the motive behind the murder was a quarrel that took place between the convict and deceased