Meerut, Aug. 14 -- A Muzaffarnagar court sentenced four men to death for the 2014 murder of Pawan Kumar during an armed attack at his home in Bhaveesa village of Shamli district. The court also imposed a total fine of Rs 1.70 lakh on the four convicts-Ramveer, Rajiv alias Chhotu, Rahul alias Ghosi and Harendra-describing the case as falling under the "rarest of rare" category. The verdict was pronounced on Thursday after nearly 12 years of legal proceedings. The case dates back to the evening of July 14, 2014, when notorious criminal Vipul alias Khooni allegedly entered Pawan Kumar's house in Bhaveesa village along with several armed associates. According to the prosecution, the attackers were looking for Pawan's elder brother, Ashok Kumar, because of an old dispute. Ashok, however, managed to hide inside a room. The assailants then opened indiscriminate fire in which Pawan Kumar was hit by bullets and died on the spot. Ashok Kumar was also injured in the attack. After the shooting, the attackers fled from the scene. The prosecution said the murder stemmed from an old enmity between Pawan Kumar's family and the mother of Vipul alias Khooni. Following a complaint by the victim's family, a case was registered against Vipul alias Khooni and his associates Ramveer, Rajiv, Rahul and Harendra. Police arrested all five accused on July 14, 2014. They were subsequently released on bail, while the case continued before the court for nearly 12 years. Proceedings against another co-accused, Amit, were separated during the course of the trial. Meanwhile, the case took a significant turn shortly before the verdict when the main accused, Vipul alias Khooni, was killed in a police encounter on July 25, 2026. His death came just 18 days before the court pronounced its judgment against the other accused. After Vipul's death, the proceedings against the remaining accused were taken up in a fast-track court. After the trial was completed, the court found Ramveer, Rajiv alias Chhotu, Rahul alias Ghosi and Harendra guilty of murder and awarded all four the death penalty. The court also imposed a combined fine of Rs 1.70 lakh. According to government counsel Kuldeep Singh, the court considered the crime to be sufficiently grave to fall within the "rarest of rare" category. During the trial, the prosecution produced nine witnesses before the court. The testimony of Pawan Kumar's brother Ashok Kumar and his wife, Sonbiri, was considered particularly significant. The prosecution also presented material evidence collected during the police investigation. According to the victim's side, police also recovered a .315-bore country-made pistol and cartridges from accused Rahul alias Ghosi. He was held guilty under the Arms Act as well....