Ghode murder convicts to be sentenced on Friday

Aurangabad: After two men were convicted for murder and criminal conspiracy in the case of the kidnapping of 10-year old Vardhan Ghode, the court is set to pronounce the sentence on Friday.

Special public prosecutor Ajay Misar said the two men should be given maximum punishment for the murder of a minor boy. Lawyers arguing for the men said they were of tender age.

The accused, Abhilash Sudhir Mohanpurkar (24), who dropped out of college, is the son of a city builder. He got help in the commission of the crime from Sham Laxman Magre (21), hailing from Nizambad and currently residing with the Mohanpurkars in Gurukunj Housing Society.

The two have been convicted of murder, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and kidnapping. The murder happened on February 27, 2017. Forty one witnesses were examined in court before the conviction.

The boy who died, Vardhan Vivek Ghode, was a resident of Amrut Gurukunj Housing Society in Tilaknagar and a IVth standard student. After his father died, his mother moved into the home of her father, Yashwant Pujari, a retired Road Transport officer, with the boy and his brother.