Pune, 3rd July 2025: A sessions court in Pune has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping and murdering a woman after attacking her with a knife. The court also imposed a fine of ₹30,000 on the convict. The verdict was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge D. P. Raghit. The woman later succumbed to her injuries, and the accused fled the scene after looting her jewelry and valuables.
The convict has been identified as Rajesh Maniram Yadav, a resident of Wakdewadi and a native of Uttar Pradesh. The incident occurred on February 18, 2015, at Anutej Atharva Society in Shivajinagar. The woman lived alone, and the accused had gradually developed an acquaintance with her.
On the day of the incident, under the pretext of helping her, Yadav entered her house and began giving her a massage. He then attempted to sexually assault her.
When the woman resisted, he covered her mouth in anger and attacked her neck with a kitchen knife. Despite her critical injuries, the accused went on to rape her. The woman eventually died due to the assault. While escaping, Yadav stole the women's gold earrings, silver anklets, a mobile phone, and ₹3,000 in cash. The house door was left open, and neighbors who later entered found the woman lying in a pool of blood.
The woman’s son lodged a complaint at the Shivajinagar Police Station, after which a case was registered against Yadav. The police arrested him and filed a chargesheet in court following a detailed investigation. Government prosecutor Adv. Leena Pathak handled the case and examined 16 witnesses. Key evidence such as the medical report and fingerprint analysis played a crucial role in securing the conviction.
Adv. Pathak argued that the nature of the crime was brutal and demanded the maximum possible punishment. The court accepted this argument and awarded life imprisonment along with a ₹30,000 fine. The order further stated that if the fine is not paid, Yadav would have to serve an additional six months in simple imprisonment. Police constables T. G. Shaikh, A. R. Kamble, and F. L. Sonawane assisted in the legal proceedings.