Medchal court awards death sentence in boy murder
HYDERABAD: A Medchal-Malkajgiri court on Tuesday awarded death sentence to the prime accused in the murder of an eight-year-old boy over a financial dispute with the child’s father. The court also sentenced an auto driver, who helped dispose of the body, to seven years in jail.
The judgment was delivered by Medchal-Malkajgiri III Additional Court judge Mandava Venkateswara Rao in the 2023 murder case reported from Sanathnagar police station limits.
Child killed over financial dispute with father
According to police, Wasim Khan, a garment trader from Allauddin Kothi Basti in Sanathnagar, had invested in chit funds run by transgender person Imran Khan alias Fijajaan, 30. During the Covid-19 period, Wasim Khan had also lent money to Imran Khan.
Police said disputes arose after Wasim Khan sought repayment of nearly ₹7 lakh, including chit fund dues and loans.
On April 20, 2023, Wasim Khan’s son Abdul Waheed, 8, went missing. Family members lodged a complaint with Sanathnagar police station.
CCTV footage exposes murder conspiracy
During investigation, police examined CCTV footage and found the boy entering Imran Khan’s house. On questioning the accused, police uncovered the murder.
Police said the boy, who was observing Ramzan fasting, had gone to a nearby mosque in the evening. Imran Khan allegedly told him he was unwell and asked him to buy an ORS packet.
After the child returned with the packet from a medical shop, the accused allegedly strangled him to death. Police said the accused later broke the boy’s limbs, stuffed the body into a bucket and packed it in a plastic bag.
Imran Khan allegedly called Mohammed Rafiq, 32, an auto driver from Erragadda, and asked him to dump the bag in Jinkalawada nala near Sanathnagar railway station.
Police filed the charge sheet based on CCTV footage, call data records and other technical evidence. The accused were arrested by a team led by then Balanagar Assistant Commissioner of Police Gangaram under the supervision of inspector Muthu Yadav.
Additional Public Prosecutor G.V. Ramakrishna argued the case before the court.
The judge awarded death sentence and imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on Imran Khan. Mohammed Rafiq was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined ₹1,000.
