Summary: Six men from Nagpur were sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Dinesh Shendekar. The crime, involving swords and guptis, took place in January 2011. The court turned down their appeals and kept the conviction as it was.
On January 19, 2011, in Nagpur, a violent fight led to the murder of Dinesh Shendekar. The confrontation started with an argument over money between the victim's brother and one of the accused, Rajesh Kuhikar. That night, Sanjiv Shankar Kuhikar and the other accused, armed with swords and guptis, attacked Dinesh and his friend Amol Kumbhalkar, leaving Dinesh dead and Amol hurt.
The accused, Sanjiv Shankar Kuhikar, Santosh, Devanand, Sheshrao, Rajesh Kuhikar, and Mahesh Devgune, were well-known in the neighborhood. They were charged with coming together as a group to commit murder. Witnesses, including family members of the deceased, spoke against them.
The prosecution showed evidence including accounts from people who saw what happened and medical reports. Key witnesses were Amol Kumbhalkar, who survived the attack, and Dinesh's sister, Suman Devgune. Even though some witnesses changed their stories, the court found the evidence strong enough to find them guilty.
"The accused came to the house with swords, saying they had killed Dinesh," testified Deva Shendekar, the victim's brother.
On January 14, 2026, Judges Urmila Joshi-Phalke and Nandesh S. Deshpande confirmed the trial court's decision. The appeals were turned down, confirming the life sentences for Sanjiv Shankar Kuhikar and the other accused. The court emphasized the role of each accused in the group that led to the murder.
The court's decision shows how serious the crime was and how strong the evidence was. The accused have to turn themselves in to Nagpur Central Prison by January 23, 2026, to start their sentences.
