Four persons get life imprisonment for killing Vasai woman over monetary dispute

Palghar: A court in Vasai in Palghar on Thursday sentenced four persons to life imprisonment for abducting and murdering a woman and burning her body to destroy evidence.

District and Additional Sessions Judge SV Khongal convicted Mohitkumar Bhishandas Bhagat (33), Ramavtar Chitelal Sharma (34), Shiva Ramkumar Sharma (33) and Unita Sharvanan (43) under Indian Penal Code provisions for murder and other offences. The judge fined Bhagat and the two Sharmas Rs 18,000 each, while Sharvanan was fined Rs 7,000.

On May 15, 2016, the four had called victim Kavita Badala (27) to a flat in Vasai over a monetary dispute and picked up a fight with her, said additional public prosecutor Jaiprakash Patil. The victim and the accused worked in a network marketing firm.

Badala was strangled by the four, who packed her body in a bag, took it Sakhre on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, and then burnt it to destroy evidence.

After this, the four called the victim's father, who is a jeweller, and sought three kilograms of gold as well as Rs 30 lakh, APP Patil told court.

A total of 53 witnesses were examined during the trial.