AIADMK MLA Murder: 3 Bawaria Gang Members Receive Life Sentence; Victim's Son Says Punishment 'Not Enough'

Chennai: A City Additional Sessions Court has sentenced three members of the notorious Bawaria gang to life imprisonment in connection with a robbery case which culminated in the murder of AIADMK MLA K Sudarsanam. The court also discharged one of the suspects.

Sudarsanam was representing Gummidipoondi constituency in Thiruvallur district at the time of his demise. On January 9, 2005, at 2.45 am, a gang of five broke into the MLA's house in Thanakulam near Periyapalayam, about 40 km west of Chennai. The gang shot the legislator dead, attacked his wife and sons and decamped with 62 sovereigns of gold jewellery.

Reacting to the verdict, Vijayakumar, the son of murdered MLA Sudarsanam and a former legislator, said, "This sentence is not enough for the criminals. Death sentences should have been imposed on them. They will appeal, citing the fact that they have already spent 20 years in prison."

"The court is likely to reduce the sentence based on age. If they do so, they will only indulge in robbery again. Such incidents have not occurred in Tamil Nadu since 2005. However, the maximum sentence should have been imposed on the criminals to prevent such robberies from happening in Tamil Nadu," Vijayakumar added.

The murder of a ruling party MLA by robbers shook the entire country.

The then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who was deeply upset after hearing the news of the murder of her party MLA, proclaimed that she would bring whoever was involved to the books. She also issued a diktat prompting a "shoot at sight" magisterial orders against the Bawaria involved in the act.

The notorious gang was terrorising the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh and parts of Tamil Nadu with their armed robberies. The gang was involved in 24 dacoities that led to the killing of 13 persons including the MLA besides injuring 63 others. The property loss incurred by the gang was pegged at Rs 2 crore and involved the loss of cash and jewellery.

Five special teams were formed under the leadership of Inspector General of Police(IGP) SR Jangid to nab the culprits. The special team of the police had to open fire when they went in search of the robbers.

In this case, the special team registered a case against 32 people and arrested 9 people, including Om Prakash and Jagadish from Haryana. Three women who had been granted bail in this case absconded. Two of the arrested people, including Om Prakash Bawariya, died in jail.

The case was split after three women who were arrested in the robbery case jumped bail and absconded.

The remaining quartet comprising Jagadish, Rakesh, Ashok and Jaildar Singh, faced the trial at the Chennai Additional Sessions Court. After examining about 86 witnesses, the verdict was delivered on November 21. Judge Abraham Lincoln held Jagadish, Rakesh and Ashok as guilty.

The judge reserved his orders on Jaildar Singh and the quantum of sentence of those of which he pronounced as guilty to Monday (November 24). The judge awarded life imprisonment for the convicted trio. At the same time, the court ordered the release of Jaildar.

It is noteworthy that the adventure story of the Jangid's team catching the Bawariya robbers in Rajasthan was later released as a film named ‘Theeran Adhikaram Ondru’.