Bhavnagar: A district court in Bhavnagar on Thursday, November 5, sentenced Faisal alias Khatki Lakhani to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life for the murder of Kajalben Baraiya, with the trial completed in just 31 days, police said. Officials said the court found the charges proved beyond reasonable doubt.

Source: IANS via Hi India

Baraiya was attacked on September 3 near the public entry gate of the Bhavnagar State Transport (ST) bus stand and died of her injuries. A case was registered at Nilambaug police station on September 4.

Source: Nation Press

SIT probe and a chargesheet in one month

Given the gravity of the case, a Special Investigation Team was constituted on the orders of Range Inspector General of Police Rajendra Asari, under the supervision of Bhavnagar Superintendent of Police Nitesh Pandey and Deputy Superintendent of Police R. R. Singhal. Investigators recorded eyewitness statements before a magistrate under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, analysed CCTV footage with forensic assistance, and filed the chargesheet on October 4 — one month after the case was registered.

According to police, the accused also allegedly arranged the kidnapping of a key prosecution eyewitness to stop him testifying, and a separate case was registered at Nilambaug police station in that connection. Police said they intervened to ensure the witness was produced before the court. These allegations about witness intimidation are as reported by police and Nation Press.

Fastest murder trial in the district, police say

The state government appointed senior advocate Utpal Dave as special public prosecutor, and the prosecution case rested on the complainant, eyewitnesses and panch witnesses, corroborated by physical and forensic evidence. Bhavnagar police said this is the first case in the district in which a murder trial has been completed and a sentence pronounced within 31 days.

Lakhani, a resident of Vartej, was convicted on November 5. The verdict comes a little over two months after the September 3 attack at one of the city's busiest public places.