Pune: A court of additional sessions judge (ADJ) RK Kshirsagar on Friday convicted a towing operator (24) for attempting to murder a businessman in 2022 and sentenced him to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment with Rs 50k fine, after Bombay high court remanded the case for fresh adjudication and permitted the defence to cross-examine all the prosecution witnesses.Additional sessions judge Prabhakar P Jadhav had earlier convicted the accused, Jeevan Suresh Pawar, on December 21, 2024. During the proceedings then, a plea seeking a de novo trial was made but subsequently withdrawn by the father of the accused. Later, the convict’s family moved the high court.According to the prosecution, the accused, Pawar, along with his minor brother (17), entered businessman Chandrakant Ramchandra More’s office at a commercial complex at Bhairoba Morenagar in Shivane on Sept 1, 2022, following a dispute over “vargani”—a voluntary contribution sought for the Ganesh festival. Pawar then attacked More with an axe, causing serious injuries to his head and hand. More had suffered four to five wounds to his head and was in serious condition.The prosecution also relied on the evidence that Pawar and his minor brother went to the Uttamnagar police station after the assault. Pawar carried the axe and the minor was in blood-stained clothes.The court found the injured complainant’s testimony reliable and said it was corroborated by the eyewitness account and medical evidence. The nature and location of the injuries, the weapon used and the surrounding circumstances established, according to the court, that the assault was committed with an intention to kill. The court also considered the CCTV footage showing Pawar entering the police station with the axe.The earlier judgement had also held that the axe blows on the complainant’s head, coupled with the serious injuries, established the offence under Section 307 IPC beyond reasonable doubt. The high court later directed the trial court to decide the case afresh on merits. Following the high court’s remand, the defence was permitted to cross-examine all the prosecution witnesses.The fresh judgement again found Pawar guilty for attempt to murder, besides the other charges framed against him. The 2024 judgement, in contrast, had acquitted him of sections 504 and 506 IPC, the Arms Act provision and the Maharashtra Police Act provision.The 10-year rigorous imprisonment remains unchanged, but the fine has been substantially reduced. In Dec 2024, Pawar was ordered to pay Rs5 lakh, with six months’ simple imprisonment in default.Pawar has been in Yerawada jail since Sept 1, 2022. The court directed that the period already spent in custody be set off against his sentence. The case against his minor brother was dealt with separately before the Juvenile Justice Board.
