Death penalty to Mumbai techie Anuhya's rapist-murderer
A special women's court awarded death sentence to Chandrabhan Sanap for the murder of techie Esther Anuhya. The court also sentenced him to life imprisonment for Anuhya's rape. "The case falls under the category of the rarest of rare, hence the accused is awarded death sentence...he must be hanged by his neck till he is dead," said the judge Vrushali Joshi pronouncing the verdict.
Since January 5, Esther Anuhya a 23-year-old native of Andhra Pradesh , who had arrived in Mumbai to resume work after her Christmas break, was found missing. Anuhya, who worked as a software engineer for Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Goregaon, arrived at Mumbai's Lokmanya Tilak Terminus on 5 Jan, early around 5 am. On 16 Jan, Mumbai police found Anuhya's burnt body.
In the CCTV footage recovered by Railway Police, a man was seen standing next to Anuhya at the Kurla Railway Terminus, the day she disappeared. Police suspect that the man may be behind her murder.
Police arrested suspect Chandra Bhan Sanap under IPC sections 302 and 201 for murder and destroying evidence. Sanap, a petty thief posed as a taxi driver and offered to drop Anuhya home for Rs.300 on 5 Jan, at the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Kurla. Once she walked into the trap, he sexually assaulted and killed her in the mangroves near Kanjurmarg, the police said.
Mumbai sessions court convicted accused Chandrabhan Sanap for the rape and murder of Esther Anuhya. During the arguments on the quantum of sentence, special public prosecutor Raja Thakare sought death sentence for Sanap. Defense advocate sought life and contended the fact that Sanap visited an astrologer soon after the incident and sought atonement for his sins against a woman, which showed his remorse.
Special Judge Vrushali Joshi also sentenced Sanap to seven years in prison for kidnappig, robbery and destruction of evidence, in addition to paying a compensation of Rs.50,000 to Anuhya's family.
