Preeti Rathi acid attack case: Court convicts neighbour of murder, says jealousy motive behind crime

Mumbai: A special women’s court on Tuesday convicted Ankur Lal Panwar for murder in connection with the Preeti Rathi acid attack case. Special Judge AS Shende convicted Panwar under Sections 302(murder) and 326B (Voluntarily throwing acid) of the IPC and is likely to hear arguments on the quantum of sentence on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_2817702” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] Rathi, who hailed from Delhi, had died of multiple organ failure after hotel management graduate Panwar threw acid on her in May 2013. According to police, Rathi had secured a nursing job with the Ministry of Defence at the INHS Asvini Hospital and Panwar was unhappy over it. Police said acid was thrown on Rathi as Panwar was jealous of her career growth. Outside the court, Panwar’s mother Kailash demanded a CBI inquiry claiming her son had been falsely implicated. “We have been implicated just because we were poor. I want a CBI inquiry into the case,” she said. Meanwhile, Rathi’s father Amar Singh Rathi hoped Panwar was awarded capital punishment. “It took 3 years for us to get justice but I am happy that it has been finally delivered. I hope he gets death sentence,” he said.