New developments have emerged in the Gulshan Kumar Murder Case where the Bombay HC has given Abdul Rauf, an aide of Dawood Ibrahim, a life sentence. The Bombay High Court upheld Rauf’s conviction in the 1997 murder of T-Series founder.
Details
On Thursday, July 1, the Bombay High Court’s bench of Justice Sadhana S. Jadhav and Justice N.R. Borakar took note of Abdul Rauf Merchant’s criminal history, and upheld the conviction of Merchant in the murder of T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar. The Bombay High Court bench ruled that Rauf is not entitled to any remission in his prison sentence.
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Conviction of Rauf Merchant is upheld by Bombay High Court in Gulshan Kumar murder case.
Ramesh Taurani's acquittal upheld, Maharashtra govt's appeal against Taurani dismissed.
— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2021
“Appellant doesn’t deserve leniency”: Bombay HC
“The appellant (Abdul Rauf) should not be entitled to remission, if any… He has criminal antecedents and continued in similar activities thereafter. In the interest of justice and society at large, appellant doesn’t deserve any leniency,”
-Justice Sadhana Jadhav said.
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Abdul Rashid – Co-accused in the case- Asked to Surrender
Further, the bench also came down hard on another accused in the case – Abdul Rashid. The division bench directed Rashid to deposit his passport before the police and surrender before the court of DN Nagar Police. The court further sentenced him to a life imprisonment punishment. The court also ruled that if Rashid does not surrender in front of the Sessions Court, a non-bailable warrant will be issued for his arrest.
For the unversed in the case, Abdul Rauf – a close aid of Dawood Ibrahim – had appealed to the Bombay High Court against his conviction in 2002. In the 2002 conviction, Rauf was charged under several sections of Indian Penal Code which included murder, robbery, arms possession, criminal conspiracy.
Out on parole, Rauf was arrested once again back in 2016 from the India-Bangladesh border for violating his parole. In 2009, the court granted him to visit his family who stayed in Mumbai.
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“In the view of past conduct, no remission allowed”: Abdul Rauf’s Lawyer
In an interview to NDTV, Advocate Satish Mane Shinde, who argued on the behalf of both the accused, was quoted saying-
“Appeal filed by Rauf Merchant partly allowed. Conviction under 302 (murder) upheld, conviction under 392 (robbery) set aside. In view of past conduct no remission allowed.”
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A Complete Gulshan Kumar Case Timeline
Aug 12, 1997: T-Series Founder and music mogul Gulshan Kumar is shot in Juhu when he was leaving a temple. Kumar died on the spot after 16 bullets were sprayed on him.
Aug 30, 1997: Nadeem Saifee – one half of the Nadeem-Shravan duo – is considered a co-cionspirator in the case. Mumbai Police alleged that Saifee hired the contract killers. Saifee flees to United Kingdom and has not been extradited yet. He then moved to Dubai and has been living there ever since.
Oct, 1997: Ramesh Taurani, owner of a Tips Music which was the biggest rival to T-Series, is arrested on the charges of abetting the crime. Taurani is reported to have paid Rs. 25 lakhs to Kumar’s assailants.
Nov, 1997: 400-page charge sheet filed by the Mumbai Police which has names of 26 people. Initially 15 people are arrested. One accused – Mohammed Ali Shaikh admits to being accomplice of the accused.
Jan, 2001: Abdul Rauf Merchant – aka Daud Merchant, a close aid to D Company’s Dawood Ibrahim arrested in Kolkata.
June, 2001: Trial initiates.
April, 2002: Abdul Rauf found guilty by the court and sentenced to life imprisonment.
