The Delhi High Court set a 40-year-old rape convict free, reducing his sentence to seven years which he had already served behind the bars. The decision was initiated after considering that the conduct of the convict, who has a wife and two children to look after, has been satisfactory in prison.
When his sentence was modified, it was noted that despite being granted bail in the case, the convict, a security guard, could not come out of jail as he failed to furnish the bail bond due to poverty.
“Upon hearing and on perusal of trial court judgement and evidence on record, I find that the conviction of appellant (convict) is well merited. However, order on sentence needs to be varied. Considering the fact that appellant is in jail for last more than seven years…indicates that his conduct in jail has been satisfactory and he is not involved in any other case and also that he is a poor person, who has family responsibilities to shoulder,” Justice Sunil Gaur said.
The convict had moved the High Court challenging a trial court’s decision(2013) where he was sentenced to jail for 10 jail for raping a married woman, his neighbour. The trial court, notably, imposed a fine of Rs. 60,000 on the convict.
The man is convicted of a crime which took place on March 2, 2011, when the victim was alone at home. The man denied the charges and claimed that he is innocent. He also submitted that he was falsely implicated in the case as he had a quarrel with the woman and her husband over a petty issue.
