Summary: Sajjad Ahmed Abdul Aziz Mugal's appeal against his conviction for the murder of Pallavi Purkayastha was dismissed. The court upheld his life sentence, confirming his guilt based on strong indirect evidence.
On August 9, 2012, Pallavi Purkayastha, a young lawyer, was found dead in her apartment. Sajjad, a security guard, was found guilty of her murder, with charges including serious crimes like murder and trespassing. He received life imprisonment, plus additional sentences for other offenses.
Both the State of Maharashtra and Pallavi's father wanted a harsher sentence, asking for the death penalty. Sajjad appealed his conviction, arguing the evidence was indirect and not enough.
"Sajjad was last seen with Pallavi and he made a false excuse to a witness that Avik had called him."
"The reports confirm the DNA of the hair found at the spot of the crime to be that of Sajjad."
"Sajjad called a witness and asked for Rs. 10,000 to go to J&K as he had murdered Pallavi."
Sajjad's defense claimed: - The evidence was purely indirect. - There were mistakes in the investigation, like missing CCTV footage. - The informal confessions were unreliable.
The court, led by Dr. Neela Gokhale, concluded that the indirect evidence formed a complete story linking Sajjad to the crime. The court dismissed his appeal, stating:
"The evidence on record, when assessed in its entirety, establishes the guilt of the Appellant beyond all reasonable doubt."
While the court identified an error in the original sentencing, it confirmed life imprisonment without parole, reflecting the severity of the crime and Sajjad's actions after the crime.
