THANE: The Thane sessions court on Wednesday convicted four individuals for the 2014 murder of Shiv Sena leader Mohan Raut from Badlapur. A N Sirsikar, a special judge of the MCOCA court, found them guilty on multiple grounds and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
The murder took place on May 23, 2014, when two of the accused entered Raut’s office in Apte Wadi, Badlapur, at around 11.30am. They fired 11 rounds of bullets, four of which hit Raut. He was rushed to AIMS Hospital in Dombivli for treatment where he was later declared dead, according to police officers.
The case sent shockwaves across political and local communities, given Raut’s standing as a prominent leader and corporator.
Following the murder, the Thane police launched an investigation that revealed the nature of the attack. The number of shots fired and the execution-style killing pointed to a premeditated conspiracy. The case was eventually registered under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). After three years of trial proceedings, the court found four accused—Chandrakant alias Pintya Balaram Mhaskat, Gangaram alias Gangya Atmaram Linge, Yogesh Narayan Raut, and Ajay alias Ajya Gajanan Gurav—guilty under Section 302 (murder) read with 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). All four have been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined ₹5,000, failing to pay it will attract an additional three months of rigorous imprisonment.
Special public prosecutor Sangita Fad said, “The court examined 30 eyewitnesses, including the individual who recorded the deceased’s dying declaration. All ballistic and forensic reports related to the bullets used in the firing, as well as the firearms recovered from the accused, tested positive and supported the prosecution’s case.”
The convicts were also found guilty under sections 452 and 34 IPC for house trespass in furtherance of a common intention. For this offence, they were sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹1,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional one year of rigorous imprisonment. The court, in its detailed order, highlighted the calculated nature of the crime and observed that it was a clear attempt to eliminate a political rival.
The verdict is welcomed by Raut’s family and members of the Shiv Sena who described the court’s decision as delayed but just, said a police officer from Badlapur East police station.