Pandit Tharun Balgobin yesterday walked out of the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court as a free man after the murder charge against him was discharged.
In August, 2022, Balgobin, also known as ‘Arun’, 32, of Lot 918 New Area, East Canefield Settlement, East Canje, Berbice, had appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court, where he was remanded to prison after he was charged with murdering Aangraj Kumar Indrapal, the man who was found dead at the pump station where he was working behind the Rose Hall Estate.
The charge stated that between Thursday, August 4 and Friday, August 5, 2022, at the Rose Hall Estate, Balgobin murdered Indrapal.
However, following a preliminary inquiry Balgobin, who was represented by attorney Mursaline Bacchus, was released yesterday after the matter against him was discharged by Magistrate Singh.
Indrapal, also known as ‘Charles,’ 59, of Lot 940 New Area Canefield Settlement, East Canje, Berbice, a watchman and grill service man was stationed at the Number 3 Pump Station, located at the rear of the estate, with the accused, a pump operator, who had initially claimed that Indrapal exited the pump station around 03:00 hrs to relieve himself outside.
Initially, it was suspected that Indrapal had somehow fallen overboard and possibly drowned. How-ever, a post-mortem examination revealed that Indrapal died from manual strangulation, causing investigators to re-arrest Balgobin for further questioning.
