Man sentenced to life in 2-year-old murder case

Raipur: A Raipur local court has sentenced a man to rigorous imprisonment for life in a two-year-old murder case. The bail application was rejected by the seventh Sessions Judge, Vandana Deepak Dewangan, who pronounced the judgment after convicting the accused, Sripati Mongraj, 26, under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.
Considering the gravity of the case and the circumstances of the incident, Sripati Mongraj has been sentenced under Section 325 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500.In default of payment, he will undergo an additional one month of simple imprisonment. Additionally, under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, he has been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 1,000. Both sentences will run concurrently, with imprisonment for non-payment of fines to be served after the main sentences.
The accused, Sripati, faced charges under Sections 307 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code for the incident on March 10, 2022. He was accused of fatally assaulting Tulsi Mongraj with an iron rod, striking him on the head and face in a fit of rage. Tulsi succumbed to his injuries, while his son, Khobo Mongraj, who intervened to protect his father, was also injured in the altercation.
It was established in the case that the deceased, Tulsi, and the accused, Sripati, were members of the same family, and there is no dispute regarding the identification of the accused.
According to records, the accused has been in judicial custody from March 11, 2022, to June 27, 2024, totaling 840 days. This period will be adjusted against his main sentence, the court stated. The time spent in custody will count towards the sentence under Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The complainant, Khobo, reported at Telibandha police station that he was assaulted by Sripati near Seema Nagar, Shiv Mandir, Telibandha. The incident occurred on March 9, 2022, while Khobo was engaged in his usual work of making traditional sweets. A dispute between Tulsi and Sripati escalated into a physical confrontation. As the situation intensified, Sripati fatally injured Tulsi with a heavy utensil. In the process of defending himself and his father, Khobo sustained injuries. Additional Public Prosecutor Rajendra Jain represented the state govt in the case.