Killer gang sentenced

Unrepentant gang gets life in slammer "Ho gaya to ho gaya. Ab nikaalenge 14 saal," was Amarjit Singh Mann's nonchalant remark to the police even as he and his accomplices were sentenced to life imprisonment last week. Four years ago, Mann and his partners in crime -- who were responsible for the brutal murder of eight people in Goregaon in 2001 -- were equally callous about their gruesome deed when questioned by the cops this time.And now, as the convicted were led to their cells, the police say there was not an iota of remorse or regret in the demeanour of the criminals. Sessions Judge S B Munde sentenced the five accused of mass murder to life imprisonment while the sixth was sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment. They were involved in the killing of eight people in a factory at Rocky Industrial Estate in Goregaon. Among those murdered included the owner of the factory, Daglaram Choudhary, his brother Jebaram and six of their workers. The murders were committed one by one on the night of August 9 (starting at 1 am) and continued till morning. According to the investigating inspector N R Mali, who was attached to the Goregaon police station in 2001, five of the accused -- including Mann, Kailash Nepali, Gulzar Singh, Lehri Lal and Pankaj Kevat -- killed Daglaram Choudhary after forcing him to sign two cheques of Rs 30,000 and Rs 90,000. The accused used to work in the bangle factory run by Daglaram. Inspector Mali says that case was sealed due to the account of the eyewitness and factory employee, Mannaram Meena, who escaped the clutches of the killers.