3 ''Bawaria'' gang members convicted in AIADMK ex-minister murder, dacoity case

Chennai, Nov 21 (PTI) Three members of the notorious 'Bawaria' gang were convicted by a court here on Friday in the 20-year-old sensational case of murder of former AIADMK Minister K Sudarsanam and dacoity carried out at his residence at nearby Tiruvallur district.

The shocking murder and dacoity, and the gang's brutal modus operandi, even inspired a Tamil movie "Theeran Adhikaram Ondru," (2017 film) which was successful at the box office.

Additional Sessions Court Judge L Abraham Lincoln, said, "this court, after having considered the oral and documentary evidences and arguments," concludes that the first, second and third accused were guilty.

The trio, Jagadish (A1), Rakesh and Ashok, who were produced before the court from prison, pleaded leniency and the court posted the sentencing part to November 24.

Jagadhish and Rakesh and Ashok were all convicted for offences including murder and dacoity. The second accused was convicted under the Arms Act as well.

Over 50 people testified in this case and more than 100 documents were marked by the prosecution.

In this case, which had been ongoing for over 20 years, G Srinivasan and N Maharajan appeared for the prosecution.

Retired DGP SR Jangid told reporters it was a big challenge to police at that time and there had been panic following the crimes by the Bawaria gang.

"There were 24 such cases along the highway and for 10 years such crimes could not be solved," Jangid, who led the special team at that time to solve the case, said.

"Totally, we arrested 13 and 2 died near Meerut in UP during an encounter." He explained the difficulties the police teams encountered in solving the case.

"My salute to all my police people in solving the case," he said.

AIADMK ex-Minister K Sudarsanam was an MLA at the time of his killing and he lived with his family at Thanakulam near Periyapalayam.

On January 9, 2005, (early morning by 2 AM) while he was asleep at home with his family, a six-member gang from north India broke the door of the house, and assaulted the legislator's son Satish with a log, and locked him in a room.

The MLA was shot dead and the gang fled the house after taking away 62 sovereigns of jewellery and cash.

S Vijayakumar, another son of the legislator recalled the gory incident and said he escaped by a whisker as he was locked inside a room in their house by the criminals.

Before they could open his room, his father had already been shot dead and local people began gathering in front of their residence and hence, they chose to escape.

"Our family is indebted to police for their hardwork," Vijayakumar said.

They had struck terror in a number of other places from 1995 onwards in Tamil Nadu and police had a pretty tough time in zeroing on the criminals for a variety of reasons including the choice of targets.

Eventually, Tamil Nadu police managed to arrest the 9 accused of the Bawaria (Rajasthan, and other locations in northern India) gang in the AIADMK leader's murder-dacoity case.

From 1995 to 2005, this gang had committed a slew of crimes in the state including over 20 dacoities, killed over 10 persons and wounded more than 60 persons and robbed valuables worth --at least Rs 1-3 crore-- during that period.

Om Prakash, and another accused died during the pendency of the case. PTI COR/VGN VGN KH SA