Naharlagun Salesman Murder Case: Two Convicted After 10 Years
A third accused has been acquitted, while the alleged main conspirator remains at large.
YUPIA- Over a decade after a murder-for-robbery case unsettled the Itanagar Capital Region, a sessions court in Yupia has brought partial closure by convicting two men and sentencing them to life imprisonment. A third accused has been acquitted, while the alleged main conspirator remains at large.
Sessions Judge Dr Hirendra Kashyap, delivering the verdict, held Limi Basar and Namit Sharma guilty of murder, robbery, and destruction of evidence under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Both have been awarded life imprisonment along with a fine of ₹10,000 each.
In contrast, the court acquitted Vinay Sharma, noting that the prosecution failed to establish his role in the crime beyond reasonable doubt — a standard that remains central to criminal jurisprudence.
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The case dates back to October 2, 2013, when Deepak Sharma, a salesman working in Naharlagun, left for routine collection of payments but did not return. A missing complaint filed the same day set in motion an investigation that would later uncover a violent crime.
Investigators concluded that the victim was fatally assaulted with an iron rod. In an apparent attempt to erase traces of the crime, his body was concealed inside a plastic water tank and dumped into a gorge along the Doimukh–Sagalee road.
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The prosecution relied on a combination of material evidence, witness testimonies, and forensic findings. Police recovered cash, personal belongings, the vehicle allegedly used in the crime, and the suspected weapon, based on disclosures during the investigation.
In its observations, the court found that the convicted individuals acted with a shared intent to rob and eliminate the victim, followed by deliberate efforts to conceal the crime.
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Despite the gravity of the offence, the court declined to classify the case under the “rarest of rare” category, which would warrant capital punishment. Instead, it held that life imprisonment was an appropriate sentence under the circumstances.
A significant aspect of the case remains unresolved. Chanchal Sharma, also known as Prince, identified as the principal accused, has evaded arrest since 2013. The court has issued a standing proclamation warrant and directed law enforcement agencies to continue efforts to trace him.
The convicts retain the right to challenge the verdict before the Gauhati High Court.
