Gangtok, Nov 28 : In a significant milestone for Sikkim’s legal system, the Sessions Court (Division-I) has delivered the first-ever conviction under the newly enforced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. The court sentenced Arpan Pradhan to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his grandmother, marking the first murder case to reach conviction under the updated law.
The case, filed as Singtam PS Case No. 28/2024 dated July 19, 2024, involved the shocking daylight killing of an elderly woman near the Juice Factory in Singtam. With no eyewitnesses, the incident initially appeared to be a blind case, posing major investigative challenges.
However, police cracked the case through coordinated and meticulous work led by Investigating Officer PI Laxuman Gajmer, with support from the Gangtok District Police, Singtam Police Station, Crime Branch, and Singtam Fire Police during extensive searches in the Bardang forest. Additional guidance was provided by OSD Vigilance Majumder, with further key contributions from DySP (Crime Branch) Abhishek Dahal.
Scientific evidence, including forensic analysis from SFSL experts and crime scene documentation by photographer HC Thakur Dahal, played a crucial role in strengthening the prosecution. After the chargesheet was filed, Public Prosecutor Yadav Sharma effectively presented the case before the court.
The judgment officially convicts Arpan Pradhan under Section 103(1) of BNS 2023, reinforcing the state’s capabilities under the new legal structure and marking a historic moment in Sikkim’s judicial progression.
