Srinagar: A court here on Wednesday sentenced a man to imprisonment for life for throwing acid on a woman at Hawal here on 1 February 2022.
The court of Principal Sessions Judge Srinagar Jawad Ahmed announced the sentence against the main convict, Sajid Altaf Sheikh of Buchwara Dalgate in a jam packed court, according to GNS correspondent present there. The court also imposed Rs 40 lakh fine on Sheikh.
“Keeping in view the plight of the victim, one would feel that the ancient theory of punishment vis. eye for eye would only meet the ends of justice in this case but, that is not permissible now in the civilized society like ours which is governed by the law,” the court said while pronouncing imprisonment for life to the convict, Sajid Altaf Sheikh (Rather) son of Mohammad Altaf Sheikh (Rather) of Khalpora Buchwara Dalgate Srinagar.
In default of payment of fine, the court said: “a warrant for levy shall be issued to the District Collector, Srinagar in terms of Section 421 (1) (b) of Cr.P.C authorizing him to realize the amount of fine as arrears of land revenue from the movable or immovable property or both of the convict.”
“As and when the fine is recovered from the convict, same shall be paid to the victim in terms of proviso 2 to Section 326-A of IPC.”
The other accused namely Mohammad Saleem Kumar, who was also facing trial with Sajid for offences under section 326-A r/w 120-B IPC in the same FIR, has been acquitted for these offences but, held guilty and convicted for offence punishable under section 336 IPC. He was sentenced to three months imprisonment. “The three months imprisonment imposed upon him has been set off from the period of detention he had undergone during investigation and trial of the case”.
The crime had sent shock waves on the evening of February 1, 2022 when the main accused accompanied by the juvenile (name withheld) threw acid on the 24-year-old woman after she allegedly rejected his marriage proposal.
Soon after the attack, police had constituted a special investigation team headed by SP North Raja Zuhaib (JKPS) with Yasir Parrey (SDPO) Khanyar, SHOs of police stations Safakadal, Nowhatta besides SHO of Srinagar Women’s Police station as its members to investigate the case (FIR No 08/2022) under section 326-A and 120-B IPC). (GNS)
