AGARTALA, July 14 � A local court on Monday found Sushil Chowdhury, editor cum owner of a vernacular newspaper published from the State capital guilty in the sensational triple murder case.
The Additional District and Sessions Judge Kripankar Chakraborty acquitted Niyati Ghosh, who turned approver, from all charges. However, the court said quantum of punishment for Chowdhury under section 302 (murder), 201 (destroying evidence), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) and 109 (abetment of the crime) would be declared on July 17 next.
Three newspaper employees � Ranjit Chowdhury (manager), Balaram Ghosh (driver) and Sujit Bhattacharjee (proof reader) � were brutally murdered in the office of Dainik Ganadoot, a Bengali newspaper, at Palace Compound here on May 19, last year.
Police initially could not make any headway in the case. However, arrest of Niyati, wife of slain Balaram Ghosh and Sushil Chowdhury provided crucial for the investigators.
Initially, Niyati who used to live on the ground floor of the newspaper office was reluctant to reveal anything to police. To crack the case, police had to take a little bit of risk by arresting Sushil Chowdhury and once he was taken into custody, Niyati started revealing the truth behind the sensational murder case.
Investigating Officer (IO) Manas Paul had submitted chargesheet against Sushil Chowdhury under section 302, 201, 120 (B), 109 before the trial court.
After hearing the case, the Addl District and Sessions Judge today found Sushil Chowdhury guilty of killing three newspaper employees and acquitted Niyati, a mother of 16 year-old girl, from all charges. In course of the trial, statements of 47 witnesses were recorded.
Spl Public Prosecutor Dilip Sarkar, who is in-charge of the case, said, �If a person is found guilty under section 302 IPC, he will face a minimum life term imprisonment or maximum capital punishment. And, life term imprisonment means remaining portion of convict�s life�.
Public Prosecutor Ranada Prasad Roy said, �Statements of Niyati as approver and her daughter Papiya have helped both investigating agency and prosecutors to substantiate the charges against the mastermind of the case � Sushil Chowdhury. Besides, scientific evidence and dying declaration have also paid off�. Special Counsel DC Kabir and advocate Niladhri Mukherjee were also part of the prosecution team.
