Biratnagar, February 25 In the first ever adjudication in a compound offence case after implementation of the new criminal code, Morang District Court handed down 37-and-half years prison sentence to a man convicted of murder and attempt to murder case. A single bench of Chief Judge Raj Kumar Khatiwada passed the verdict against Bablu Singh, aka Channu, aged 19, of Biratnagar metropolis for murdering his step-father and mounting a murder attempt against his own brother. According to court registrar Ishwor Ojha, Singh got 25 years for killing his father and additional 12-and-half years for attacking his brother with a khukuri as per the provision in the new criminal code. “This is the first time the district court adjudicated a compound offence case. The case had been filed about two months ago,” said the registrar. Bablu, in a drunken frenzy, on December 14, had murdered his step-father Shashi and seriously injured his brother Akash by attacking them with a khukuri at home. After he engaged in a brawl with his brother Akash, his step-father Shashi, was attacked when he attempted to clam the brothers. He died on the spot. Police had lodged a case against the 19-year-old through the office of the government attorney on January 6 following the incident. “As per the new criminal code, anyone involved in more than one crime in the same incident will be sued under a compound offence case,” said the registrar, adding that the court on February 7 had convicted the man in the offence and then declared the punishment five days later. Under the new criminal code, punishment must be declared within 30 days after conviction.