Four years after 58-year-old Sangeeta Sawant was found lying in a pool of blood at home in Bhandup, her brother-in-law was convicted for the crime. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment
mid-day's May 2, 2013 report on the case
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Four years after 58-year-old Sangeeta Sawant was found lying in a pool of blood at home in Bhandup (E), her brother-in-law was convicted for the crime yesterday. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Notably, the Crime Branch had cracked the case within five days, after the accused, Santosh Jagannath Sawant, an auto rickshaw driver, confessed he had killed Sangeeta to repay debts he had accumulated due to his gambling and drinking addictions.
Flashback
On April 26, 2013, Sangeeta’s lifeless body was found by her 30-year-old son after he returned from work. The cupboard had been ransacked and gold ornaments worth R3.5 lakh were missing.
According to the police, a pair of gloves, cotton, and a plastic bag were among the things found at the scene of the crime.
The CCTV camera installed at the building drew a blank and the cops then turned their focus of investigation towards family members.
Police said they found something amiss when they interrogated Santosh. "There was an injury mark on his hand and, when asked about it, he told us that he had hurt himself after his rickshaw tipped on its side," said a police officer. "The accused broke down and confessed to the crime," said the officer.
Row over money
Sawant is a resident of Gorai and an alcoholic and a gambler, police said. Officials said that a few days prior to the killing, he had visited the deceased’s residence and asked her for R10,000. "When Sangeeta refused to give him the money, they had a heated argument, and the accused then plotted the murder and robbery," said the police officer.
The police recovered a mangalsutra and four gold bangles worth Rs 3.25 lakh from the accused. The prosecutor examined around 19 witnesses in the case. The Sessions Court Judge Dattatray Pandurang Satawalekar convicted him under Sections 302 (murder) and 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of the IPC.
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