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BMW case: Sanjeev Nanda, 3 others convicted

Last updated on: September 02, 2008 13:57 IST

Sanjeev Nanda, grandson of former Naval Chief S M Nanda, was on Tuesday convicted by a Delhi court for mowing down six persons in the nine-year-old BMW hit-and-run case and could face a 10-year prison term.

The quantum of punishment will be pronounced tomorrow.

"Sanjeev Nanda, I hold you guilty under Section 304 (Part II) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC," Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Kumar pronounced in a packed court.

The court also convicted three others – businessman Rajeev Gupta and his two employees Bhola Nath and Shyam Singh -- for destruction of evidence as they had washed the blood stains and victims' flesh pieces from the offending vehicle.

Nanda, 30, was found guilty of mowing down six persons, including three policemen in the wee hours on January 10, 1999 in the Lodhi Colony in south Delhi.

Manik Kapoor, a friend of Nanda, who was in the vehicle at the time of the accident, was acquitted.

Nanda's family was present in the court room in Patiala House where the trial has been going on for the last nine years. The case saw many criminal lawyers arguing for the family, which includes R K Anand and I U Khan, who were trapped while offering money to the key eye-witness.

The Delhi High Court has barred both the advocates from practicing for four months which led to a one-day strike in Delhi courts.

Suresh Nanada and his wife were both present in the court and posed for media while Sanjeev sneaked out through the back doors.

"We are not happy or unhappy. It is a matter of satisfaction. It was a matter of scientific investigation that led to conviction in this case," a top police officer told rediff.com.

 

Onkar Singh in New Delhi