Kolhapur court sentences father and two sons to life for 2013 murder of Hemant Gaikwad
A Kolhapur court has convicted Rajendra Sawant and his sons Abhijit and Dhairyashil of the 2013 daylight shooting of Hemant Gaikwad, nearly 13 years later.
Hemant Babaso Gaikwad (29) was shot dead in broad daylight in 2013 at Post Office Chowk in Ramanmala, Kolhapur. The court's verdict has now come, nearly 13 years later. Principal District and Sessions Judge A. M. Patil convicted Rajendra Anand Sawant (63) and his two sons, Abhijit Rajendra Sawant (32) and Dhairyashil Rajendra Sawant (36), and sentenced all three to life imprisonment.
Santosh Ingawale, another accused in the same case, was acquitted by the court.
Tension had been running between Gaikwad and youths of the Sawant family in the Ramanmala area over dominance and old quarrels. On May 24, 2013, a fresh dispute broke out at Post Office Chowk. It was alleged that Rajendra Sawant, Abhijit and Dhairyashil then attacked Gaikwad. During this, Rajendra Sawant fired a revolver. Gaikwad was hit in the head and died on the spot. Shashikant Gaikwad was also injured. After the firing, the three fled in a car.
Police had seized four pistols in the case and sent them for forensic examination. Ballistic and forensic tests established that the shots were fired from a private 9 mm pistol. Three rounds were fired in all. One bullet hit Gaikwad in the head, the second missed its target and the third grazed Shashikant, injuring him.
After the incident, police arrested Abhijit and Dhairyashil Sawant. Rajendra Sawant absconded at the time and was arrested during the lockdown. A chargesheet against the three was then filed in the district court. Rajendra Sawant had also been granted interim bail on medical grounds by the Bombay High Court.
During the trial before Principal District and Sessions Judge A. M. Patil, the prosecution presented several pieces of evidence. The court accepted the arguments of public prosecutor Sujata Ingle, the ballistic report, technical evidence and the statements of 11 witnesses. On this evidence, the three were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Rajendra Sawant was an officer in the State Excise department. He joined the department in 1988 as a constable on compassionate grounds and was promoted to sub-inspector in 2001. He later served at Shiroli, Rankala Wes and Oros in Sindhudurg. When the crime took place, he was posted in Sindhudurg and also held additional charge of Kolhapur.
