13 get life sentence in 2012 Maruti factory violence case

13 workers who were held guilty for the murder of Awanish Kumar Dev, General Manager (Human Resources), in the 2012 incident of violence at a Maruti factory in Manesar were on Saturday sentenced to life imprisonment.

The 13 Maruti workers were found guilty under various charges that include murder, attempt to murder, rioting and destruction of property by additional district and sessions judge R P Goyal.

In addition to their life sentence, each of the thirteen workers will have to pay a fine of Rs 5,000, failing which their jail term will be further increased.

The thirteen workers who will be serving the life term are Ram Mehar, Sandeep Dhillon, Ramvilas, Sarabjit Singh, Pavan Kumar, Sohan Kumar, Pradip Kumar, Ajmer Singh, Jia Lal, Amarjeet Kapoor, Dhanraj Bhambi, Yogesh Kumar and Pradeep Gujjar.

The quantum of punishment for eighteen other workers – who were pronounced guilty under charges of causing injuries, destruction of property, rioting and creating mischief – was also announced by judge Goyal on Saturday.

Four of these workers were sentenced to a jail term of five years, with payment of fine of Rs 5,000. As they have already spent over four years in jail, the four workers will serve another year in jail before being set free.

The other fourteen workers were set free by the District Court, for having completed their jail sentence while the trial was ongoing. These workers, however, will have to pay the fine imposed on them by the Court.

"The verdict by the District Court only highlights that there is no place for violence in our society. Those who resort to violence will be dealt harshly as per law," said public prosecutor Anurag Hooda.

Meanwhile, the legal team who were defending the Maruti workers has challenged the verdict of the District Court and will approach higher courts.

Senior lawyer Vrinda Grover, who is a part of defence team, highlighted the lack of proper evidences in the indictment of the workers.

Meanwhile, the Maruti workers' union also suspended work for a brief period between 9.00 pm and 10.00 pm in the two factories in Gurugram and Manesar in protest against the life sentence awarded to the 13 workers.

148 Maruti workers were arrested after the incident of murderous violence on July 18, 2012, at a Maruti factory in Manesar. In a legal trial that went on for almost five years, 117 workers were acquitted and while 31 were convicted by the District Court.