DEHRADUN: A taxi driver was sentenced to death and three co-accused to life imprisonment for killing a tourist couple from Delhi over three years ago.
Pronouncing the quantum of punishment in the case yesterday, Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Sultan said the incident had tarnished the image of Devbhoomi, a tourist state.
By handing down the death sentence to the main accused and life imprisonment to others a stern message was being given, the court said.
The main accused Rajudas, the man who was driving the couple in his Bolero to Tiger fall from Chakrata and who hatched a conspiracy in collusion with three of his friends to loot and kill them, was sentenced to death while his three accomplices were handed down life imprisonment.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 65,000 on Rajudas and Rs 1,15000 on each of the three other co-accused.
Momita Das and her friend Abhijit Pal, who were originally from West Bengal but lived in Delhi, had come to Chakrata on October 22, 2014 to spend Diwali holidays.
They hired a taxi owned and driven by Rajudas on October 23 to visit Tiger Falls.
The taxi driver's friends Guddu, Kundan and Bablu joined him on way to the popular tourist spot.
While returning from Tiger falls, the taxi driver and his friends started misbehaving with Momita.
When Abhijit protested they strangulated him and threw his body into a gorge near Naugaon.
They also strangulated Momita later and threw her body in the Yamuna.
The court had convicted the accused of murder, loot and conspiracy in the case earlier.