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Court showers mercy on angry old man
| High Court Bench sets him free with minimal punishment |
He had set fire to a table at a court and berated onlookers
“The period undergone by him is sufficient to meet ends of justice”
MADURAI: The Madras High Court Bench here has showered mercy on an angry old man who barged into the Principal District Munsif Court premises at Nagercoil, set fire to a wooden table of a stamp vendor and berated the onlookers on October 17, 2005.
Partly allowing a criminal revision petition filed by the 62-year-old, Justice A. Selvam confirmed the conviction under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, but let the guilty go off with a sentence of one year, 10 months and 24 days, already undergone by him.
Found guilty under various SectionsThe Additional Assistant Sessions Court-II in Nagercoil had initially found him guilty under Sections 436 (mischief by fire), 450 (trespass), 506II (criminal intimidation) of IPC and sentenced to undergo seven years rigorous imprisonment under each Section.
He was also convicted under Section 294(b) (uttering obscene words in a public place) and sentenced to three more years of rigorous imprisonment.
Confirms convictionSubsequently, on July 3, 2007, the first appellate court, after reappraising the evidence available on record, confirmed the conviction ordered by the trial court.
However, it modified the sentences to the extent of four years rigorous imprisonment under Sections 436 and 506II, two years rigorous imprisonment under Section 450 and one month rigorous imprisonment under Section 294(b) and hence the present revision.
Old age taken into account“The Courts below have rightly found the revision petitioner guilty under the said Sections. However, considering his age and also the nature of offences alleged to have been committed, the period already undergone by him would be sufficient to meet the ends of justice,” Mr. Justice Selvam said.
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