Death for two accused in 2013 kidnapping-murder case in Nashik

The Nashik district court on Friday sentenced two accused to death in a 2013 case of kidnapping and murder. Judge A U Kadam awarded capital punishment to Chetan Yashwantrao Pagare 25 and Aman Prakatsingh Jat 22.The court also sentenced them to seven years rigorous imprisonment on the charge of kidnapping.

The Nashik district court on Friday sentenced two accused to death in a 2013 case of kidnapping and murder. Judge A U Kadam awarded capital punishment to Chetan Yashwantrao Pagare (25) and Aman Prakatsingh Jat (22).

The court also sentenced them to seven years' rigorous imprisonment on the charge of kidnapping. On June 8, 2013, Bipin Gulabchand Bafna, resident of Ojhar in Niphad taluka in the district, left home for dance class but did not return.

On June 9, an unidentified person called Bipin's father Gulabchand Bafna from Bipin's mobile phone. The caller said Bipin had been kidnapped, and demanded a ransom of Rs one crore for his release.

His father approached police, but before police could trace him, Bipin's body was found in a field under the jurisdiction of Adgaon police station on June 14, 2013.

The cold-blooded murder shocked the district. The police arrested five persons in the case and booked them under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) besides the offences of murder and kidnapping. On Tuesday, the district and sessions court convicted Chetan Pagare and Aman Jat while acquitting three others. On Friday, the court awarded death sentence to Pagare and Jat after hearing arguments on the quantum of punishment.

A death sentence has to be confirmed by a High Court.