A special women’s court on Wednesday awarded death sentence to Ankur Panwar for throwing acid on Preeti Rathi at Bandra station on May 2, 2013.
The court on Tuesday convicted Panwar, who was 23 years old when he committed the crime, with the intention of causing burns and committing murder.
At the City Civil and Sessions Court, judge Anju Shende convicted Mr Panwar, a chef who was working with a premium hotel and was the breadwinner of a family of five under section 302 (punishment for murder) and 326 B (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid) of the Indian Penal Code.
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Panwar’s family said they will move High Court in appeal against his conviction and will also plead for the case to be shifted to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam sought death penalty as he said the tendency of the accused may cost the lives of many other girls
Preeti had secured a nursing job at the INHS Asvini Hospital and had just reached Mumbai from New Delhi when acid was thrown at her. She died due to burns and injuries a month later.
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Panwar, currently lodged at the Arthur Road Jail, lived near Preeti’s neighbourhood in Narela, Delhi. He has been convicted for throwing acid on Preeti and her family members as she apparently refused his proposal to marry him.
Defence lawyer Apeksha Vora said Preeti died due to medical negligence. She said her client had been falsely implicated because he was arrested seven months after the incident took place.
However, the prosecution contended that Panwar was guilty as Preeti had declined his proposal for marriage.
The trial lasted for one-and-a-half years during which time the prosecution examined 37 witnesses, including five eyewitnesses and 11 doctors.