Additional Sessions Judge S R Jaiswal today sentenced five persons to life imprisonment in connection with a double murder case at Khar in 1995. The court however acquitted two others who were also charged in the same case.

Special public prosecutor Shafi Shaikh informed the court that on August 26, 1995, the accused Alex Joseph, Jitendra More, Vinod Jadhav, Agnel Fernandes, Nitesh Kasare, Ravie Pujari and absconding accused Rabin Joseph had assaulted Mohan Mohite with swords, guptis, knives and other sharp instruments at Asara Stores, Dr Ambedkar Road, Khar (W). As Mohite was being assaulted, Rajesh alias Lalya Dhotre rushed to his rescue armed with a lathi. He too was attacked and stabbed several times. Both Mohite and Lalya were then rushed to Bhabha Hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.

All the accused except Pujari were sentenced to life imprisonment while Rajeshree Pawar who was charged with providing shelter to the accused at Vasai wasacquitted.

Bank staff looted in Mulund

In a daylight robbery, armed dacoits looted two bank employees at gun point and escaped with Rs 8.7 lakh at Mulund this morning.

According to the police, the incident took place when Corporation Bank's Mulund branch manager Surendra Pai and sepoy A Vaichan were returning from Municipal Corporation Bank located at Check Naka with cash at around 10 am.

When their rickshaw (MH03 D 8737) reached P K Road junction, a white Maruti 1000 car (MH02 3742) intercepted their vehicle.

Three men from the Maruti brandishing chopper and a revolver approached the bank manager and the sepoy. One of the attacker grabbed the bag containing the cash and fled in the waiting car, the police added.