Leniency, mercy not accepted in acid attack cases: HC

Upholds life sentence for acid attacker; victim to be given ₹9.75 lakh from fine of ₹10 lakh imposed on convict in addition to ex gratia

Observing that imposition of appropriate punishment is the manner in which the court responds to society’s cry for justice in acid attack cases, the High Court of Karnataka declined to reduce the sentence of life imprisonment imposed on a man convicted for throwing acid on a girl for refusing to marry him against wishes of her family members. While upholding the life sentence imposed by a sessions court in Davangere in 2016 on Mahesha of Honnali taluk in Davangere district, the High Court directed payment of ₹9.75 lakh to the victim girl out of the 10 lakh fine imposed on the convict. “Justice demands that the courts should impose punishment befitting the crime so that the courts reflect public abhorrence of the crime,” observed a Division Bench comprising Justice B. Veerappa and Justice V. Srishananda while declining to reduce the sentence imposed by the trial court.