More than twenty years after a murder that shocked the community of Silchar, a Fast Track Court in Cachar district has sentenced three individuals, including a businessman, to life imprisonment for their involvement in the 2004 killing of Munna Majumdar. On February 25, the Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court), Bankim Sharma, delivered the verdict, sentencing cloth merchant Dhanraj Surana and his employees, Ratan Debnath and Rinku Dev, to life imprisonment. Surana operates from Swarupa Complex in Janiganj, Silchar, while Debnath and Dev reside in Udharband.
Munna Majumdar, who worked at Surana’s garment shop, was taken by his employer and two employees to Silchar Medical College and Hospital on November 5, 2004, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. The mysterious circumstances surrounding his death raised immediate suspicions and incited public outrage, leading local authorities to impose a curfew to maintain order during the ensuing chaos. The case generated significant public interest, particularly due to the nature of the employer-employee relationship and retention of attention over the years as one of Silchar’s most notorious criminal cases.
After a lengthy judicial process that lasted over two decades, which included comprehensive evidence reviews and witness testimonies, the Fast Track Court concluded its trial and rendered its decision. Legal experts regard this judgment as a crucial affirmation of the judiciary’s dedication to accountability, demonstrating that no one is above the law regardless of their status. This verdict sends a strong message against criminal impunity and is considered a landmark ruling in the history of Silchar’s legal landscape.