Khushi Bajpai
Published on: October 13, 2022 at 22:02 IST
Sushil Kumar, a wrestler, and 17 other people were charged by a Delhi court on Wednesday with murdering Sagar Dhankar, a 27-year-old former Junior National Champion, in May 2021.
Charges under Sections 307 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code were also filed against the accused by Additional Sessions Judge Shivaji Anand of Rohini Courts for injuring one of the victims, Jai Bhagwan.
“Charges under Section 323 IPC read with Section 34 IPC be also framed for causing injuries to the other victims. As already discussed, the circumstances under which these offences were committed also make a strong case to frame charges u/s 109, 120-B, 142, 148 & 149 IPC. Charges be framed accordingly for the distinct offences,” the court said in its 47 pages order.
Sagar, who had been training at the Chhatrasal Stadium, died while two of his friends got injured after they were thrashed by Sushil Kumar and other accused persons.
The dead was severely beaten after being kidnapped and dragged to the stadium by many of the accused, who used danda, baseball, and hockey clubs to inflict physical harm on him, the court said, finding a prima facie case for murder against the accused.
The judge further highlighted that the defendants had locked the stadium’s main gate in order to prevent anyone from coming to the aid of the victims and had tortured them for an extended period of time.
“It is important to note that the main suspect, Sushil Kumar, had been looking for the victim, Sagar Dhankar, ever since their initial encounter in the Chhatrasal stadium about 8:00 or 8:30 p.m. According to the victims’ claims, he was present the entire time.”
The court noted that the purpose of causing his death was prima facie made out after taking into account the victims’ testimonies, the deceased’s post-mortem report, and a cellphone video showing Dhankar “wreathing on the ground as he was severely bleeding.”
Accordingly, the court ordered that the charge under Section 302 of the IPC be prepared.
It reads, “Combining the statements with the location map, the medical evidence, and the other evidence listed in the charge-sheet creates a compelling case for the use of Section 302 IPC to justify Sagar Dhankhar’s murder. Additionally, the violation of Section 307 IPC is brought up for injuring the victim, Jai Bhagwan @ Sonu.”