The Bandit Queen: Phoolan Devi's killer Sentenced life

Phoolan Devi's killer Rana sentenced to life

A trial court on Thursday sentenced Sher Singh Rana, the lone convict in the killing of bandit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi, to life imprisonment, reports said.

Rana, 35, was convicted under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code for murdering Phoolan at her residence in New Delhi on July 25, 2001.

According to reports, Patiala House court also imposed a fine of Rs. 1 lakh on Rana.

Rana was held guilty of the daylight murder of the then Samajwadi Party MP from Mirzapur constituency in Uttar Pradesh by a Delhi court last week.

The court had acquitted the 10 other accused men — including his brother Vijay on the grounds that the prosecution failed to provide enough evidence for a conviction against them.

Strong forensic and circumstantial evidence nailed Rana in the Phoolan Devi murder case.

Rana was convicted on the grounds that his fingerprints were found on the pistol which was used to shoot 37-year-old Phoolan in front  of her Ashoka Road residence in south Delhi.

It also took into account that the car used in the crime was registered in Rana’s name.

Phoolan was shot dead from close range by three masked gunmen in the heart of the capital’s VIP area as she returned home for lunch after attending Lok Sabha.

As per the prosecution’s case, Rana, who had dropped Phoolan to Parliament, opened fire on her as soon as she returned to her Ashoka Road residence for lunch.

She was hit in the head and the stomach.

While fleeing the scene of crime, Rana dropped his country-made pistol. He also fired a shot while escaping in his car, the police alleged.

The police recovered the cars, weapons — including a Webley & Scott  revolver — mobile phones, SIM cards and the clothes worn by the accused at the time of offence.

Forensic examination of the bullets extricated from the body of the slain MP confirmed that they were fired from the weapons recovered from the accused.

Rana was found guilty of murder, attempt to kill, and common intent.

Via Hindustan Times