Hicksville man gets 50 to life in mother-in-law slay

Ritika Hira watched somberly Tuesday as a judge sentenced her husband to 50 years to life in prison for fatally stabbing her mother and for wounding her at the August 2008 birthday party of the couple's twin sons.

Harpal Hira shook his head slightly as acting state Supreme Court Justice Alan Honorof announced his sentence.

As Hira left the courtroom in handcuffs, he seemed to look back at his wife and smile. Ritika Hira, 25, who declined to speak at the proceeding, met his gaze without expression.

Harpal Hira's attorney, Joshua Kahn of Garden City, asked Honorof to give Hira a lighter sentence, saying he holds out some hope of being reunited with his children one day.

His lawyer said that Hira is 45 years old, though law enforcement agencies have recorded various ages for him.

Harpal Hira was convicted at trial of second-degree murder, second-degree assault and other charges. He also pleaded guilty to trying to hire a hit man to kill his sister-in-law, who was a key witness in the case. He has not been sentenced on that charge yet, but his prison time for that crime will run concurrently with his sentence on the murder charges, Honorof has said.

Prosecutors said that on Aug. 2, 2008, Hira and his wife got into an argument at their infant sons' birthday party. Harpal Hira grabbed a kitchen knife, stabbing his wife and her mother, Meena Kohli, 54, multiple times.

Hira was captured after a monthlong manhunt during which he was tracked to Florida and then back to New York. At the time of his arrest, Hira had grown a beard, was wearing a turban and gave the police a fake name. He was identified by a distinctive scar on his hand.