65-yr-old gets life term for Pinjore murder over property dispute

The Sessions Court here today sentenced 65-year-old Sanjeev Kumar Arora to life imprisonment for the murder of Narinder Kumar Mittal, whom he fatally ran over with a car near HMT, Pinjore, on the Panchkula-Shimla highway.

Pronouncing the sentence, Sessions Judge Ved Parkash Sirohi said the prosecution had proved beyond doubt that the convict committed the murder with intent.

The accused was convicted on July 15. Arora, who was out on bail during the proceedings, was convicted under Section 302 of the IPC and taken into custody from the courtroom.

Pronouncing the quantum of sentence today, the court awarded Arora rigorous life imprisonment and also slapped a fine of Rs 25,000. The failure to pay the fine will result in one year of simple imprisonment. The period already spent in custody since his arrest on September 27, 2020, will be counted toward the sentence.

The murder came to light when the deceased’s son, Sachin Jain, a resident of Sector 26, Panchkula, identified his father’s body and alerted the police that the alleged accident was, in fact, a premeditated act of revenge. Jain told the police that the accused had been threatening his father over a disputed property transaction in Baltana. According to the prosecution, the victim and his son had bought a house from a woman named Pinki, but Arora and his son Deepak later claimed prior rights based on an agreement to sell, and pressured the Mittals to re-execute the deed in favour of someone else. When the Mittals refused, Arora allegedly plotted the murder.

A crucial turning point came when a broken number plate recovered at the scene matched Arora’s car (PB65AN-7007). CCTV footage and toll records corroborated the vehicle’s movement through the Chandimandir toll plaza. A forensic report from Madhuban and witness testimonies further bolstered the prosecution’s case.

Public Prosecutor Akash Tanwar argued that the murder was pre-planned and executed in cold blood, warranting the strictest penalty. He pointed out that despite the accused’s age, the act reflected a dangerous level of criminal intent and abuse of trust.

The defence counsel sought leniency, citing Arora’s old age, deteriorating health and the lack of a previous criminal record. He also highlighted that Arora had remained present through all trial proceedings since his bail in early 2021.

The court, however, observed that “mere age and absence of criminal record cannot dilute the gravity of the act,” especially when the crime was “carried out with calculated motive and deception.” Judge Sirohi noted that such crimes, if treated leniently, would send a wrong signal to society.

The case was originally investigated by Pinjore police. The trial began after the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Kalka, Diksha Dass Ranga, committed the case to the Sessions Court on January 13, 2021.

Facts ‘especially within knowledge’ of accused

In a significant observation, the judge invoked Section 106 of the Indian Evidence Act, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Shambu Nath Mehra v. State of Ajmer. The court noted that while the general burden of proof lies on the prosecution, Section 106 applies when facts are “especially within the knowledge of the accused.”

Justice Sirohi quoted, “If the section were to be interpreted otherwise, it would lead to the very startling conclusion that in a murder case the burden lies on the accused to prove that he did not commit the murder… Section 106 is certainly not intended to relieve the prosecution of that duty.”

He added that in this case, the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision were exclusively within the accused’s knowledge, and his failure to offer any explanation created a “very strong presumption” of guilt. The ruling stated, “The facts relevant to the cause of death of the deceased being only known to the accused, yet he chose not to disclose them or to explain them… Therefore, the chain of circumstances is so complete leaving no reasonable ground for the conclusion consistent with the innocence of the accused.”

Forensic, CCTV and toll booth evidence sealed the case

The judgment stated that a Brezza car (PB65AN-7007) registered in the accused’s name had been identified as the vehicle involved in the incident. A broken number plate found at the scene matched the car, and CCTV and toll plaza footage confirmed its movement from Pinjore on the day of the murder.

Post-mortem findings indicated multiple skull fractures and deep abrasions, consistent with being hit from behind by a heavy vehicle. Importantly, the court noted that no other vehicle was present at the scene at the time, and the accused fled the spot without informing the police, further strengthening the case for deliberate murder.

While the primary complainant Sachin Jain, the victim’s son, passed away before he could testify, the investigation by SI Jaswinder Singh (PW-13) revealed that the accused held a long-standing property dispute with the deceased. Despite key witnesses Pinki and Sunny Kumar turning hostile, the judge concluded that the motive, though not conclusively proved, was not essential, given the overwhelming circumstantial evidence.

Five-year trial

September 27, 2020: Accident took place, FIR registered and accused arrested

January 13, 2021: The trial began after the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Kalka, committed the case to the sessions court

Early 2021: Arora granted bail

July 15, 2025: Accused convicted

July 18: Quantum of sentence pronounced

Chandigarh