A High Court bench in Nagpur has admitted the appeals filed by convicts of Khairlanji massare for final hearing.
The
death penalty awarded by Bhandara court is already pending before the High Court for confirmation as per the
Criminal Proceedings.
A division bench of justice Kisore Rohee and justice C L Pangarkar on Tuesday admitted the appeals filed by six accused who have been awarded capital punishment on September 24 by the adhoc district and session judge S Dass.
The state government has filed an appeal seeking enhancement of sentence of two accused who were sentenced to
lifer.
The State also challenged the verdict of dropping charges under the Prevention of SC/ST
Atroicities Act. The Bhandara court has aquitted them of these charges along with that of outraging the modesty (under Section 354 of IPC).
The Bhandara court sentenced six accused, Sakru Binjewar, Shatrughan Dhande, Vishwanath Dhande, Ramu Dhande, Jagdish Mandlekar and Prabhakar Mandlekar for the death penalty.
While awarding a lifer to Gopal Binjewar and Shishupal Dhande. They are accused of killing one Surekha Bhaiyalal Bhootmange, her daughter Priyanka and sons Roshan and Sudhir on September 29 last year. Three accused were let off by court.