(MOREPIC1) Face2News/Abohar.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed the petitions, for suspension of the remaining sentence, filed separately by liquor baron Shiv Lal Doda alias Sholly and his nephew Amit Doda, who are serving life imprisonment for alleged conspiracy in the infamous Bhim Tank murder case that took place in December 2015.
A division bench of Justice Harinder Singh Sidhu and Justice Lalit Batra heard the petitions filed separately by the Dodas. The learned counsels for Shiv Lal Doda said that he has so far been in jail for 6 years 6 months and 6 days in this case.
He was not present in Abohar on the day the murder took place and his polygraph test has also been termed negative. As of now it is not certain that when the petition filed against the sentence of life imprisonment will be disposed of, his remaining sentence should be kept in suspension. Opposing this prayer, Additional Advocate General Dhruv Dayal and advocate for the complainant in the case SPS Tinna argued that 7 cases were pending in the courts in Fazilka and Abohar against Shiv Lal Doda. He does not deserve the concession of suspension of his remaining sentence.
The learned counsel for Amit Doda argued that he had been convicted for the hatching conspiracy resulting in the murder of Bhim Tank but he was not present in Abohar at the time of the murder. Sofar, he has spent five years and four months in jail and he has to get his treatment done in a higher hospital. That's why his sentence should be placed in suspension. This petition was also opposed by Additional Advocate General Dhruv Dayal and advocate SPS Tinna saying that being a conspirator, Amit Doda was sentenced to life imprisonment by the court, he does not deserve suspension of the remaining sentence.
The Division Bench of the HC said that without commenting on the merits of the case lest it may prejudice the outcome of the appeal, in a given scenario, we are not inclined to accept the application for suspension of remaining sentence and resultantly, instant application is dismissed
