February 17: A cadet was today sentenced to life imprisonment by Additional Sessions Judge P K Gaikwad for killing a second officer on board a foreign ship in the international waters eight years ago.On the night of June 10, 1990, Captain Dilip Panangadan of cargo ship `Capetan-K' was awakened by thudding sounds above his bedroom on the starboard of the bridge. On rushing out he heard wheezing sounds from the entrance. He saw second officer Suhas Patil on the floor bleeding from abdomen, chest and face, while cadet Sandeep Acharaya with his boiler suit and duffel coat soaked in blood stood beside Patil. Acharya's right hand was bleeding from a knife injury. The chief officer Asit Saxena when summoned could not find Patil's pulse.As the ship was close to the Canadian coast, the Halifax coast guards were contacted and informed of the incident. Later arrangements were made to send Patil's body back to India.When Capt Panangadan questioned Acharya on what had transpired between him and the deceased onthat night, he said there has been a fight.Acharya told the Captain that Patil had called him at an odd hour on the bridge and suddenly attacked him. While he did not have any answer as to why he did not shout for help when attacked, Acharya maintained that he acted in self-defence.In the meantime, Shantaram Patil, father of the deceased, registered a complaint with the city's Yellowgate police station. Accused Acharya was arrested on September 16, 1990. A charge-sheet against him was submitted in the 16th Court on March 7, 1991 and the trial was concluded on February 2, this year.Additional Sessions Judge P K Gaikwad in his judgment convicted the accused for life imprisonment on the basis of circumstantial evidence, without any eyewitness to it, brought on the record by the prosecution.Special Public Prosecutor Raja Thakre appeared for the state while B P Singh appeared for the defence.
