NEW DELHI: A local court in Goa has sentenced Vikat Bhagat to rigorous life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a 28-year-old Irish national in 2017. The conviction, which follows a lengthy trial of over eight years was handed down by Additional Sessions Judge Kshama Joshi on Friday.
Bhagat was found guilty of murder, rape, robbery and destruction of evidence. The victim, a former student of Liverpool John Moores University was discovered dead in an isolated field in Canacona, Goa.
According to the prosecution, Bhagat lured the victim to the secluded area between 10 pm and 7 am where the crime took place.
The autopsy revealed severe cerebral damage and neck constriction, which led to her death, along with significant facial and head injuries caused by a broken bottle.
The prosecution’s case was bolstered by substantial physical evidence, including injury marks on Bhagat’s groin and thigh, believed to have been inflicted during the assault.
Additionally, blood from the victim was found on his clothing and scooter, and a backpack with bloodstained clothes was recovered near his Canacona residence.
‘Very Challenging’
Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajendra Prabhudessai, the investigating officer in the 2017 rape and murder case of an Irish national, revealed that securing a conviction was more challenging than the investigation itself.
Speaking to TOI, he stated that during the initial trial phase, some witnesses faced threats and were pressured to turn hostile. However, the prosecution ensured their safety and cooperation.
The COVID-19 pandemic further complicated the trial, disrupting communication between the police, prosecution, and witnesses. One key witness, who had relocated to New Zealand, had to be tracked down and persuaded to testify. His statement was eventually recorded via video conferencing from a sessions court in Bhopal. Another witness from Kerala, who returned home during the pandemic, was found only after court notices were issued at his residence.
Prabhudessai highlighted the difficulty of keeping witnesses aligned with their original statements to the police. The trial included testimonies from 46 witnesses.
Defense advocate Arun Bras de Sa argued for leniency, citing the circumstantial nature of the evidence. However, public prosecutor Devendra Korgaonkar pushed for the maximum sentence, stressing the severity of the crime.