Nepali watchman gets life term for murdering compatriot in Thane

THANE: A Thane court has sentenced a Nepali watchman from Santacruz, Mumbai, to life imprisonment for murdering a fellow Nepali watchman. Principal District and Sessions Judge S.B. Agrawal convicted 48-year-old Indra Mohan Budha in the case.
The verdict, delivered on 18 February 2025, pertained to the murder of 45-year-old Padam Bahadur Thakulla. Both men were from the same village in Nepal and were also related.
According to Additional Public Prosecutor A.P. Ladvanjari, the incident took place on 22 October 2021. Budha, who had been refused dinner and an overnight stay at Thakulla’s house, returned the following day. Seizing the opportunity when Thakulla’s wife was not present, he fatally attacked the victim in his watchman’s room in Thane city.
Following the incident, police registered a case, arrested Budha, and filed a chargesheet. The investigation was led by officer Vidya Patil.
During the trial, the prosecution examined 17 witnesses and presented circumstantial evidence. Key findings included Budha being seen following the injured victim, both men sustaining injuries, and their exclusive presence in the room before the attack.
The court highlighted Budha’s failure to explain these circumstances, which, under Section 106 of the Evidence Act, further strengthened the prosecution’s case.
Budha defended himself by claiming Thakulla was his friend and alleged he was falsely implicated by the victim’s wife. However, Judge Agrawal dismissed this argument, noting that Budha’s mere denial of charges under Section 313 of the Criminal Procedure Code weakened his defence.
The prosecution’s case was further reinforced by evidence presented by panchas, including a knife, bloodstained items, CCTV footage, and forensic reports.
The court concluded that the chain of events clearly established Budha’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt, ruling out any possibility of innocence.