For Shooting Student, Rocky Yadav Gets Life Sentence, 5 Years For Father

Patna: Rocky Yadav, the son of a Bihar politician, has been given the life sentence for shooting a high school student in a case of road rage last year.

Mr Yadav, 26, was convicted last week by a court in Gaya, where he lived and opened fire last May on Aditya Sachdeva, a 19-year-old who was driving a Maruti Swift borrowed from his father to celebrate the end of his exams.
 "I am grateful to the court for this sentence," said the victim's mother, Chand Sachdev. "After losing my son, I did not want the death penalty for Rocky Yadav."

Mr Yadav's mother, Manorama Devi, was suspended by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from his party after the murder. His father, Bindi Yadav, a powerful and rich businessman has been ordered to five years in jail for charges including criminal conspiracy.

Mr Yadav's cousin, Teni, and his bodyguard, Rakesh Kumar Ranjan, have also been sentenced to life in prison. They were traveling with Mr Yadav in his Range Rover when it was overtaken by a Swift. 

Mr Yadav shot his pistol in the air as a warning. When the Swift pulled over, he got out, beat up Mr Sachdeva and some of his friends, and then shot Mr Sachdeva, who was in Class 12.
"Don't you know who I am?" he reportedly asked the young students who he attacked.

He went missing after the murder and was found two days later in a factory owned by his father.

Though several of Mr Sachdeva's friends turned hostile in court, key evidence that helped nail Mr Yadav included the gun used to kill the student. It was licensed to Mr Yadav; he had it with him when the police tracked him down.

"I hope the government will show the same zeal when Rocky Yadav's family appeals against today's sentence in a higher court," said Mrs Sachdeva.