Delhi Court Gives 70-Year-Old Man 1 Year Jail Term For Throwing Acid On Dog

A Delhi court has sentenced a 70-year-old man to imprisonment for a year for hurling a corrosive substance on a dog that caused it to lose one of its eyes, and observed that "life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to any human".

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Richa Sharma also said that the "serious and grave" offence was bone-chilling and it shook the court's conscience and that granting any leniency would convey an adverse message to society.

Sharma was hearing the case against Mahendra Singh, who was earlier convicted for the offences under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle, etc., of any value or any animal of the value of fifty rupees) and under the provision of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

According to the prosecution, after the complainant's dog barked at Singh, he went inside his house, brought a corrosive liquid and threw it on the dog on February 7, 2020, in the Paharganj area of Delhi.

Advocate Rhythm Sheel Srivastava appeared for the complainant.

"Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to any human. A human being is expected to remember that his action towards animals reflects humanity. It is our responsibility to be compassionate and kind to animals," the court said.

"The convict has committed an offence in a manner which shakes not only the conscience of this court but is bone-chilling as well. The act of throwing some corrosive or burning substance which resulted in the loss of one eye of the dog is serious and grave, and letting off such a person with less punishment and granting any leniency to the convict will convey an adverse message to society," it added in its judgment dated July 27.

The court noted the submission of the public prosecutor seeking maximum punishment and that of the defence counsel about taking a lenient view because of the convict's age, medical condition and poor economic condition.

"The criminal trial can not be equated with the mock scene of any stunt film. The legal trial is conducted to ascertain the guilt or innocence of the accused arraigned and the courts are not obliged to make efforts either to give latitude to the prosecution or loosely construe the law in favour of the accused," it said.

The court sentenced the accused to simple imprisonment of one year and a Rs 10,000 fine.

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