In a sensational case relating to the murder of AIADMK MLA and former Minister K. Sudarsanam in Thanakulam village near Periyapalayam in 2005, a Sessions Court on Monday (November 24, 2025) pronounced four to five life imprisonments “consecutively” under different sections to three members of the Bawaria gang who were convicted for dacoity, murder, and possession of illegal arms.
Pronouncing the final judgement in the 20-year-old case, XV Additional Sessions Judge L. Abraham Lincoln sentenced the trio to life imprisonment and said they will have to serve them consecutively, meaning they will spend the remainder of their life in prison.
According to the prosecution, around 2.30 a.m. on January 8, 2005, an armed gang descended on the house of Sudarsanam at Thanakulam in Tiruvallur district near Chennai. As one of them stood outside holding a gun, the other members broke open the front door with an axe and began attacking the inmates with iron rods.
Sudarsanam’s son, Satish Kumar (28) was the first to wake up, and he was attacked. On hearing their cries, Sudarsanam came down from his room and tried to prevent the six men from attacking his son. Sudarsanam was shot with a single-barreled muzzle-loaded gun and he died on the spot. Another son Vijaykumar was locked up in a room.
Sudarsanam, who rushed out of his room, was shot dead with a single-barreled muzzle-loaded gun. The gang escaped with cash, jewels weighing 60 sovereigns and mobile phones. The gang leader, who positioned himself outside the house guarding the scene, fired at the neighbours who gathered outside the house upon hearing the screams and chased them. They made a cool departure into the darkness by boarding their lorry parked 1 kilometre away from the scene, said the prosecution.
The special teams under then Inspector General of Police, North S.R. Jangid unearthed the involvement of the Bawaria gang and police arrested Ashok alias Laxaman first, and subsequently the others.
G. Sreenivasan, Additional Public Prosecutor, said: “In this case, two of the main accused, Oma alias Omprakash Bawaria and his brother Boora, died due to illness in prison while serving life imprisonment in another criminal case. Only four accused were tried in the court, while three had absconded.”
D. Magarajan, Additional Public Prosecutor said, “ 66 witnesses were examined. 52 exhibits and 17 material objects, including two country made guns and two lorries were marked during the trial. The investigation was done in the proper manner by the investigation officers. It is a major achievement by the prosecution.”
On Monday (November 24, 2025), three convicts — Jagadish, 68, alias Gunna, Rakesh alias Guddu, 55, of Haryana, and Ashok alias Laxman, 56, of Bharatpur district, Rajasthan — who have been serving life imprisonment in another case, were brought to the court complex from the prison amidst tight security. The fourth accused Jaildar Singh alias Lalimaster who was on bail also appeared before the court.
In a jam-packed court, the Judge Mr. Abraham Lincoln read out the sentences to the men who were standing in the accused box. Later, an interpreter translated the substance of the sentence in Hindi to them.
As per the pronouncement, Jagadish will have to undergo a total of four life imprisonments for the offences — three life imprisonments for offence under Section 397(Robbery or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and one life imprisonment for offence under Section 396(Dacoity with murder).
Similarly, Rakesh and Ashok were sentenced to undergo five and four life imprisonments for different offences, which included dacoity with murder and illegal possession of arms. They were also fined. The fourth accused, Jaildar Singh, was acquitted of the charges.
Published – November 24, 2025 10:51 pm IST
