India, Feb. 1 -- Six years after 19-year-old Santacruz resident Jhanvi Kukreja was murdered at a New Year's Eve party, the Sessions Court on Saturday awarded a life sentence to Shree Ambadas Jogdhankar, 26, for the barbaric murder. The court, however, acquitted the co-accused and victim's childhood friend, Diya Padalkar, 24, for want of cogent evidence.

Additional Sessions Judge SR Navendar pronounced the operative part of the judgement. The court convicted Jogdhankar, holding that the prosecution had proved a complete chain of circumstantial evidence that pointed to his guilt and sentenced him to life imprisonment. While acquitting Padalkar, the court said the prosecution had failed to establish her involvement beyond reasonable doubt....