Delhi Man Gets Life In Jail For Killing Sweets Vendor For 'Denying Him Jalebis' Ahead Of Other Customers

A Delhi court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment, bringing an end to a 12-year-old murder case in which a sweets vendor was shot dead for refusing to serve him jalebis ahead of other customers waiting in line. The incident occurred on February 18, 2014, at a sweet shop near Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. According to the prosecution, the accused became enraged after the vendor declined his demand to skip the queue. He allegedly slapped the vendor, pulled out a pistol and fired a point-blank shot at his head.

Additional Sessions Judge Dhirendra Rana was hearing arguments on the sentence of Neeraj, who was convicted earlier this month under IPC Section 302 (murder) and the Arms Act for the unauthorised use of firearms.

In an order dated June 8, the judge said, "Perusal of the record narrates that the convict entered into a quarrel with the deceased as he wanted that jalebis would be given to him before other customers, who were standing in the queue.

"When the deceased (vendor) refused the same, the convict slapped him and took out a pistol and fired a gunshot from close range on the head of the deceased," he added.

The court noted that the injured vendor was rushed to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Neeraj was apprehended near the crime scene, and police also recovered a fake arms licence from his possession.

"I have considered the mitigating circumstances involved in this case. Convict is not involved in any other case. He remained in custody throughout the trial. He is not a threat to society, and there are chances of his reformation," the judge observed.

He further said, "Therefore, the present case is not covered under the category of rarest of rare cases. Convict has been facing a protracted trial since 2014 and has a family containing his wife and two sons."

Concluding that the case did not warrant the death penalty, the court sentenced Neeraj to life imprisonment for the murder of the sweets vendor, delivering justice more than a decade after the dispute.