Crime –  A Delhi court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the fatal shooting of a food vendor following a dispute over being served ahead of other customers.

Delhi Court Hands Life Term to Man Convicted in Vendor Shooting Case

A Delhi court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for murdering a food vendor after an argument over being served before other customers at a sweet shop near Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. The court found that the accused opened fire after the vendor refused to let him bypass people waiting in line, resulting in the vendor’s death.

Court Holds Accused Guilty of Murder

Additional Sessions Judge Dhirendra Rana convicted Neeraj under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for murder. The court also imposed punishment under the Arms Act for the unauthorized use of a firearm during the crime.

According to the court’s order, the incident began when the accused demanded that he be served jalebis before customers already standing in the queue. After the vendor declined the request, an argument broke out. The accused allegedly slapped the vendor before pulling out a pistol and firing a shot at his head from close range.

The seriously injured vendor was taken to a hospital, where doctors later declared him dead.

Death Penalty Not Considered Appropriate

While delivering the sentence, the court ruled that the case did not meet the legal standard required for imposing the death penalty under the “rarest of rare” principle.

The judge noted several mitigating circumstances while deciding the sentence. The court observed that the convict had no involvement in any other criminal case and had remained in custody throughout the trial. It also considered the possibility of his rehabilitation, along with the fact that he has a wife and two sons who depend on him. The lengthy duration of the trial, which began in 2014, was also taken into account before awarding life imprisonment.

Incident Dates Back to 2014

The prosecution informed the court that the incident took place on February 18, 2014. Investigators said the accused became angry after being denied priority service at the shop and responded by assaulting the vendor before firing the fatal shot.

Police arrested Neeraj near the scene shortly after the incident. During the investigation, officers also recovered what was described as a fake arms licence from his possession.

High Court Rejects Interim Bail in Marijuana Case

In another judicial development, the Delhi High Court refused interim bail to a man accused of possessing more than 40 kilograms of marijuana. The accused had requested temporary release to attend his sister’s wedding in Bihar.

The court rejected the plea, observing that the case involved a commercial quantity of narcotics. It also took note of the accused’s previous criminal record and concluded that there were no exceptional grounds to justify granting interim bail.

Court Restrains Sale of Counterfeit Luxury Watches

Separately, a Delhi court has barred a shop owner in Chandni Chowk from selling, displaying, or dealing in counterfeit Tag Heuer watches.

The court held that the defendant had unlawfully used the registered trademark of the Swiss luxury watch brand, amounting to trademark infringement. The order restrains the trader from continuing any business involving fake products bearing the company’s branding.