Four get lifer for murder of realtor in Odisha capital

Bhubaneswar: A local court here today awarded life imprisonment to four persons accused of killing a city-based realtor nearly nine years ago.

Pronouncing the quantum of punishment, Additional District Judge-III court sentenced the four convicts to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10, 000 each.

“After examining the witnesses, the court convicted the four accused. They have been awarded life sentence for commiting the crime. The case ended in conviction,” public prosecutor Sarad Chandra Samanta said.

The convicts have been identified as Salila Patnaik alias Tarini, Suraj Sharma alias Nepa, Santosh Padhiary alias Nana and Rajesh Kumar Barik alias Pintu.

On August 12, 2013, Managing Director of Kalingaputra Real Estate and Developers Krushna Chandra Nayak was shot at from close range near a post office under IRC Village area here. He was rushed to Apollo Hospitals where the doctors declared him brought dead. He had received three bullets on his lower abdomen. Nayak died on the spot.

A case (226/2013) was registered under section 302, 120 (B) of IPC r/w 25, 27 of Arms Act at Nayapalli police station and investigated.  During the course of investigation, the four accused were arrested and tried under these sections. They were found guilty and convicted in the case.

The then investigating officer and Nayapalli Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) Anup Kanungo had said the murder was the fallout of past rivalry between Nayak and the prime accused Tarini over a land dispute in Nayapalli area.

They were lodged at the Special Jail in Jharpada here.