New Delhi:
A man facing trial for over nine years for trying to rob a person of his bicycle has been held guilty of the crime but was let off with a sentence of over five months in jail, which he had already undergone during the trial.
Metropolitan Magistrate Jagminder Singh let 50-year-old Om Parkash, a native of Rajasthan, walk free, showing leniency to him as he was very poor and had tendered apology for his crime after admitting his guilt.
"In view of the facts and circumstances of the case, the court comes to the conclusion that convict is a poor person and has apologised for his guilt, therefore, in view of reformative theories of punishment, a lenient view is taken against convict.
"Om Parkash is sentenced in this case with imprisonment for the period which he had already undergone during his custody for the offence under section 392 (punishment for robbery) of IPC," said Metropolitan Magistrate Singh. Pleading for leniency, the counsel for Parkash had told the court that the convict had remained in custody for five months and 13 days.
"He is so poor that when he was granted bail he could not arrange a surety and despite bail orders he further remained in custody for about four more months and was then released on personal bond," the counsel said, adding that he had also apologised for his crime.
The case against Om Praksah was lodged on complaint of Bihar native Vinod Goswami, who had accused him of trying to take away his cycle, parked outside his house on June 4, 2003 afternoon.
He said as he saw him cycling away, he gave him a chase and caught hold of him following which he attacked him with a screwdriver, but was overpowered by his neighbours, who came to his rescue after hearing the commotion.