Shivangi Prakash-
Published on August 03, 2021 at 10:17 AM
Khora Badshah, the main accused in the 2011 hooch tragedy that killed 172 lives, was sentenced to life in jail by an Alipore Court in Kolkata.
Badshah, aka Nur Islam Fakir, was sentenced based on complaints submitted in connection with the 64 out of 172 deaths reported to the Magrahat police station.
Badshah was found guilty of multiple criminal charges, including murder, by an Alipore Court on Saturday. He tried to bring up that he is physically handicapped and has 4 children, while the judge was hearing the last submission before announcing the punishment.
Badshah will be imprisoned till his death, according to the additional district judge.
Badshah is already serving a life sentence in a separate case involving the tragedy, which was filed at the Usthi police station. He was convicted of poisoning others and sentenced to ten years in prison.
Badshah was also convicted under IPC sections 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), 326 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), and provisions under the Bengal Excise Act.
According to the Court, his sentences will run concurrently.
Seven additional co-defendants were acquitted due to a lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crimes.
The prosecution had urged capital sentence for the accused, claiming that the case was among the rarest of rare situations.
Fakir’s lawyer, Rampada Jana, said, “My client told the Court that the trade was run by other people and he was not directly involved. We will move the Calcutta High Court challenging the Order.”
Public prosecutor Tamal Mukherjee said, “The order has sent a strong message to the society.”
Mograhat, Usti, Mandirbazar, and many parts of Diamond Harbor in the South, were among the victims of the hooch catastrophe. As the death toll rose, enraged relatives of the victims set fire to the unlicensed distilleries.
Family members of the victims, mostly daily wagers, said they would have been happier if Badshah was given capital punishment.
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