The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Amberdeep Singh on Monday awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) to six persons, including three women, for robbing an Eeco van after assaulting its driver and attempting to kidnap him on NH-44. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 31,000 on each convict.
Rajesh Chaudhary, Deputy Director of Prosecution (DDP), said the matter was reported to the Sadar police on March 11, 2018.
The convicts are Sonu and Ravi of Noorwala in Panipat, Praveen of Dhamija Colony, Kajal and Gunjan of Hari Singhpura in Gharaunda, Karnal district, and Phoolmati of Jyoti Colony on Barsat Road.
In his complaint to the Sadar police, Mohit of Murthal stated that he was driving an Eeco van when he received a call from Kajal on the night of March 10, 2018, to book his vehicle. She asked him to come under the flyover in Murthal, saying they wanted to travel to Panipat. Two more girls and a woman joined her, and they all left for Panipat in the van.
When they reached near the Panipat bus stand, Kajal called her brother, Sonu, who asked them to come near the Sing & Swing hotel on NH-44. She requested the driver to pick up three more persons, assuring him that they would pay extra fare.
When the van reached the hotel, three boys were waiting there. The three women got out of the vehicle. Meanwhile, the girl sitting on the front passenger seat took the keys of the Eeco van, and the three women and the boys allegedly tried to forcibly push Mohit into the vehicle. One of the women also allegedly held a knife to his neck.
However, Mohit managed to free himself and ran into the hotel for safety. The accused fled with the Eeco van.
Following the complaint, the Sadar police registered a case and launched an investigation. The accused were later arrested, and the robbed Eeco van was recovered from their possession. One minor accused was also arrested in the case.
After completion of the investigation, the police presented the accused before the court.
DDP Chaudhary said Additional District and Sessions Judge Amberdeep Singh on Monday sentenced all six convicts to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 31,000 on each of them.