In the high-profile double murder case of Auraiya district, Judge Vinay Prakash of the MP-MLA Court sentenced 10 convicts to rigorous life imprisonment on Wednesday. The convicts include former Samajwadi Party MLC Kamlesh Pathak, his brothers Santosh Pathak and Ramu Pathak, along with seven others. The court also imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on each of the convicts. The courtroom and premises witnessed high tension and heavy gathering throughout the day as the verdict was pronounced following a prolonged trial spanning more than 900 hearings.

Double Murder Occurred Over Dispute Regarding Possession of Panchmukhi Temple

The high-profile case began with a formal complaint filed at Kotwali Auraiya by the complainant, Ashish Kumar, son of Arvind Kumar. According to the complaint, a dispute had arisen over the possession of the Panchmukhi Temple located in Mohalla Narayanpur. It was alleged that during this dispute, the accused shot dead his brother Manjul Choubey, who was an advocate, and his sister Sudha. Following the incident, an FIR was registered on March 15, 2020, at Kotwali Auraiya against several named and three unknown accused persons.

Court Holds 10 Accused Guilty Under Various Sections

After completion of the trial and final hearings, the court convicted all 10 accused under charges of murder, attempt to murder, and the Arms Act. The convicts include former SP MLC Kamlesh Pathak, Santosh Pathak, Ramu Pathak, Kuldeep Awasthi alias Pappu, Vikalp Awasthi alias Chainu Awasthi, Rajesh Shukla Bhagwatacharya, Avnish Pratap Singh, Ashish Dubey, Shivam Awasthi, and Ravindra alias Lala Choubey. The landmark verdict came through the consistent monitoring by the police team, pairokar Head Constable Vinay Kumar, and prosecution officer Chandra Bhushan Tiwari, who ensured witnesses appeared before the court on scheduled dates.

Convicts Sent to Jail Under Strict Security Arrangements

Post-lunch, the court heard arguments on the quantum of sentence and awarded rigorous life imprisonment to all 10 convicts. Keeping the sensitivity of the case in mind, heavy deployment of police and PAC personnel was maintained around the court premises. Following the pronouncement of the verdict, all convicts were safely escorted and sent to jail under strict security arrangements. Expressing satisfaction after the judgment, complainant Ashish Kumar welcomed the court’s decision, calling it entirely just and fair.