A court in Mathura on Monday sentenced nine people to imprisonment for life for kidnapping a person 16 years ago.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each of the convicts and failing to pay will lead to an additional six-month jail term. Fifty per cent of the fine realised would be paid to the victim, officials said.
While nine convicts were awarded life sentences, a non-bailable warrant was issued against the 10th accused, who neither appeared at the time of pronouncement of verdict nor on the day of sentencing, said assistant district government counsel Mukesh Babu Goshwami.
Avadhesh Yadav and his sureties have been ordered by Additional District Judge Sanjai Chaudhary to appear in the court on September 14, he said.
Mr Goshwami said a missing application was filed on December 28, 2006, by one Yogesh Sharma about the disappearance of his father-in-law Vinod Shankar Sharma.
Later, the police were informed that kidnappers had demanded a ransom of Rs 80 lakh on the landline phone of the neighbour. Subsequently, the accused agreed to release the victim in lieu of Rs 4 lakh which was paid.
Police finally worked out the case and registered a case against accused Avadhesh Yadav, Raobi Husain, Deepak Chaudhari, Baby Yadav, Pappu Yadav, Prasant, Ram Babu, Kisanu, Ram Kumar Gautam and Bhole under IPC sections 364A (kidnapping for ransom) and 368 (wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person).
Based on the statement and identification of victim Vinod Shankar Sharma and statements of other witnesses the guilt of the accused was established.
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