Almost a year ago, Hasini, a seven-year-old girl, was found brutally raped and murdered in Chennai. Twenty-three-year-old techie, S Daswant, was taken into custody in connection with the crime, but let out on bail citing “technical ground" in September. Days later, he committed another alleged murder – that of his mother.
Delivering the verdict in the double-murder case, a Chengalpet court in Chennai on Monday convicted techie Daswant. The court examined 30 witnesses, 45 documents and 19 pieces of evidence. The court also sentenced him to death.
Here are the specifics of the case.
Hasini Raped, Murdered, Set Ablaze
In a gruesome turn of events, Hasini was allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered in Daswant’s apartment complex in Chennai. He had allegedly lured the child into his apartment – and suffocated her to death after raping her. He then put her body in a travel bag, bought petrol, and then burnt her body on a highway, according to Chennai Police.
Neighbours had alleged that the mechanical engineer had brought a puppy home about five months back, and used it to get close to the children in the flat.
Soon after, the police arrested Daswant and slapped the Goondas Act against him.
The case was registered at Chennai’s Mangadu police station. However, the cross-examination of 34 witnesses was done in a span of two months.
Daswant’s father had applied for his bail in Mahila Court in Chengalpet. He also filed a habeas corpus petition with the Madras High Court.
Since there was a delay from the police’s end to file the chargesheet, the Madras High Court quashed his detention. Daswant was then released on bail in September.
The Second Murder: What, Where and How
After Daswant's release, he was residing along with his family at Kundrathur, in Chennai.
Less than three months after his release, on 2 December, his mother S Sarala was found murdered in a pool of blood. He allegedly killed her while she was alone at home, and fled with her jewellery to Mumbai.
However, on 6 December, a special team nabbed him.
Daswant’s Arrest and Re-arrest
To the embarrassment of the Chennai Police, Daswant managed a dramatic escape from their custody the very next day of his arrest. According to a top police official, he was handcuffed and going to the toilet in Mumbai's Vile Parle area near Hotel Satellite. While the accused’s escort was eating lunch at a hotel, he reportedly pushed other policemen and escaped.
However, the Chennai Police managed to nab him with the help of the Mumbai police on 8 December – and brought him back to the city. During the course of the investigation, he allegedly admitted that he had also laid out a plan to murder his father.
Hours after the Chennai Police revealed that Daswant was caught again, The News Minute accessed the CCTV footage of his escape in Mumbai.
The 26-second-long video shows him making a run for it. Three police officers in muftis are seen running behind him. Two of them in lungis, and one of them wearing khakhi shorts.
The police, in statements from two history sheeters James and David, whom Daswant had spent time with in jail, found that they had allegedly helped him pawn his mother’s jewellery.
Daswant ‘Admits’ to Killing Hasini
The 23-year-old wrote a six-page letter to the judge where he acknowledged his guilt and asked the court to dismiss the trial.
However, when the case came up for hearing before the Chengalpet Mahila Court, special judge P Velmurugan rejected the letter, declaring that Daswant “could not play with the courts”. The judge further directed that he would be allowed to communicate with the court only through his lawyer.
Daswant had been taken to the courtroom for in-camera proceedings, with only the judge, lawyers, witnesses and the accused. As the trial began, he handed over a letter to a court staff member, which was reportedly signed by a Puzhal jail official.
(The Quint, in association with BitGiving, has launched a crowdfunding campaign for an 8-month-old who was raped in Delhi on 28 January 2018. The baby girl, who we will refer to as 'Chhutki', was allegedly raped by her 28-year-old cousin when her parents were away. She has been discharged from AIIMS hospital after undergoing three surgeries, but needs more medical treatment in order to heal completely. Her parents hail from a low-income group and have stopped going to work so that they can take care of the baby. You can help cover Chhutki's medical expenses and secure her future. Every little bit counts. Click here to donate.)
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