All the four accused in the Bodhisatwa Das murder case were pronounced “guilty” after a hearing conducted by District and Sessions Judge Subhashish Sharma Roy on Friday. The accused were found guilty under sections 302 and 34 (common intention). However, the final sentencing for the convicted individuals will be announced on the following Saturday.
Senior lawyer Samrat Kar Bhowmik who stood for the prosecution, addressing the reporters, stated that the former branch manager of UCB Bank’s Dharmanagar branch was the victim of a murderous assault by four individuals at the Jackson Gate area near Sarada Medical Hall on August 3, 2019. After a final hearing, the judge declared all four accused, namely Sumit Choudhary, Sumit Banik, Sukanta Biswas, and Shoaib Mia, as guilty.
Bhowmik further explained that the accusations against the accused were substantiated by the testimonies of 56 witnesses presented in court. However, he revealed that Dr. Abhijit Das of GB Hospital in Agartala, one of the eyewitnesses, denied having heard the final statement of the deceased, Bodhisatwa Das, as he breathed his last in the hospital. The public prosecutor added that separate proceedings would be initiated against Dr. Abhijit Das on charges of lying to the court.
However, Senior lawyer Pijush Kanti Biswas, representing the four convicted individuals, expressed dissatisfaction with the court’s decision. Biswas stated that he would file an appeal against the “illegal” judgment in the case. He argued that the judgment failed to meet primary judicial scrutiny and disregarded witness collaboration. Biswas claimed that there was no evidence to support the allegation that others present at the scene had a criminal intention or a plan to murder Bodhisatwa. He contended that the incident originated from a drunken brawl and that the murder was committed solely by Shoaib, who suddenly appeared on the scene.
With the sentencing hearing scheduled for the following Saturday, all attention is now focused on the court’s final decision. The verdict will determine the punishment for the convicted individuals in the Bodhisatwa Das murder case.
