A Mumbai court has sentenced a 49-year-old man to life imprisonment for the murder of his 20-year-old son, Imran Shaikh.

The incident occurred in 2018 after the son refused to refer to his stepmother as “ammi” (mother), leading to a fatal stabbing with a pair of scissors.

During the trial, the court highlighted the indifference of bystanders who did not intervene during the attack, which took place in a crowded area.

Judge S D Tawshikar expressed concern over the lack of assistance provided to the victim and criticized the mother’s conflicting testimony, which seemed aimed at protecting her husband.

Imran’s biological mother, Parveen Shaikh, claimed that her son was under the influence of drugs and had inflicted the injuries on himself. However, the judge found her testimony unreliable and suggested it was an attempt to shield her husband from culpability.

The court noted the brutal nature of the crime and dismissed the father’s defense of acting out of sudden rage, emphasizing that the violent act was premeditated.

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Although the prosecution sought the death penalty, the judge determined that the case did not meet the criteria for the “rarest of rare” category.

The incident reflects broader societal issues, including the apathy of those who witnessed the violence but failed to act.