Mumbai:
Observing that there was no sign of reformation and repentance, the Bombay High Court today upheld the death penalty of four convicts, including a self-proclaimed 'tantrik', for the brutal murders of ten people in 2003.
The convicts - Santosh Chouhan, Amit Shinde, Yogesh Chouhan and Mahesh Shinde - all between the age group of 20 to 25 years - had been arrested for murdering ten persons, including two minors and a woman from September to November 2003.
According to the prosecution, Santosh was a self-proclaimed tantrik who used to lure people under the garb of making them wealthy by practicing black magic. Santosh would ask his victims to shell out anywhere between Rs 1.5 to 3 lakh after which black magic would be performed in a secluded forest on the outskirts of the city by which money would 'shower' upon the person.
The victims were then told that more than Rs 1 crore would shower upon them after further magic is performed.
The four accused would then take their victims to Nandos forest area in Sindhudurg district where he or she would be asked to kneel down. The accused would then kill the victim either by a country-made revolver or knife, prosecution said.
Typically, the victim's face would be smashed beyond recognition and the body would be stuffed in gunny bags which would be disposed of in a valley apparently to destroy evidence.
Police had arrested the ten persons, including middlemen who used to arrange people for black magic, from Sindhudurg district and across Mumbai after the remains of the bodies were discovered by a local resident over a period of time post 2003.