Kolkata: A court here on Monday awarded life imprisonment to Khora Badshah. The accused had gained notoriety for the hooch tragedy which occurred in 2011 in South 24 Paraganas district of West Bengal. The hooch tragedy had killed 172 people. Badshah was the main accused in the cases.
Badshah, alias Nur Islam Fakir, was handed over his sentence Monday. The verdict was arrived based on the complaints filed in connection with the 64 deaths that were registered in Magrahat police station. He is is already serving life term in another case related to the hooch tragedy, which was filed in Usthi police station. The Alipore district and sessions court convicted him of murder during the day. The sixth additional district judge ordered that Badshah will undergo imprisonment until death. He was also found guilty of poisoning people and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Badshah was also convicted under IPC sections 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), 326 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and provisions under the Bengal Excise Act. His sentences will run concurrently, the court said.
Seven other co-accused were acquitted for lack of conclusive proof of their involvement in the crime.
Claiming that the matter fell in the category of rarest of rare cases, the prosecution had demanded capital punishment for the convict.
Other than the 172 dead in the hooch tragedy, many others suffered permanent disability like blindness at Magrahat, Usthi and Mandirbazar localities of South 24 Parganas district. They had consumed the hooch December 14, 2011 at dens run by Badshah, the prosecution submitted before the court.
Badshah, who had earned the sobriquet ‘Khora’ (lame) for his disabled leg, claimed he was innocent. His lawyer said they will move the high court against the conviction and the sentence.
Family members of the victims, mostly daily wagers, said they would have been happier if Badshah was given capital punishment.
