Former Army officer S J Choudhary was on Saturday sentenced to life imprisonment by a Delhi court for killing businessman Krishan Sikand in a parcel bomb explosion 26 years ago to avenge the victim’s alleged proximity with his estranged wife.

“I sentence you to life term,” District and Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal said, disagreeing with the CBI’s contention that the former Lt Colonel deserved death penalty.

The judge also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on him under section 302 (murder) of the IPC and sections 3 and 4 of the Explosives Act for procuring and using Pakistan-made hand grenade in the offence.

Relatives of victim Krishan Sikand, said they were satisfied with the outcome of their 26-year-long fight for justice.

Choudhary, 70, was on April 28 found guilty by the court for the murder of Sikand (40), who had died in an explosion caused by the parcel bomb delivered at his Sunder Nagar residence here on October 2, 1982.
An appeal in the Delhi High Court against the conviction would be filed, they said.