SRINAGAR, Aug 22: Days after a court convicted two persons for attacking a law student with acid in Srinagar in 2014, the Principal Sessions Judge on Tuesday sentenced them to life imprisonment.
The 2014 acid attack was triggered by the failure of a “love affair”.
The court last week convicted Irshad Amin Wani alias Sunny, a resident of Wazirbagh, Srinagar and Mohammed Umar Noor, a resident of Bemina who were found guilty for the offences punishable under Section 326-A (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc.), Section 120-B (Punishment for criminal conspiracy) and Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false evidence to screen offender) of the Ranbir Penal Code.
The two were convicted of throwing acid on an eighth-semester law student in Srinagar on December 11, 2014, just outside the Kashmir Law College in Srinagar.
Principal Sessions Judge at Srinagar, Jawad Ahmed on Tuesday observed the convicts do not deserve leniency and no other punishment except the maximum punishment of life imprisonment prescribed under law for their act can do the real and complete justice to the victim.
“The convicts are hereby sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and fine of Rs 25,000 each for the offence punishable under Section 120-B RPC, in default of payment of fine they shall undergo further imprisonment for one year.
The convicts are sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life and fine of Rs 5 lakhs each for commission of offence punishable under Section 326-A RPC read with Section 120-B RPC,” the court order said.
“The fine, when recovered, shall be paid to the victim in terms of proviso 1 and 2 of Section 326-A RPC. In default of payment of fine, the convicts shall undergo rigorous imprisonment for three years.
The convicts are also sentenced to imprisonment for 3 years for offence punishable under Section 201 RPC read with 120-B RPC with fine of Rs 10,000 each and in default of such fine they shall undergo further imprisonment for six months.
The sentence awarded to the convicts for different offences shall run concurrently,” the order said.
The court also recommended the case of the victim to the Member Secretary, J&K Legal Service Authority for compensation to the victim.
“In view of the huge amount, the victim has incurred on her treatment and the amount which is required for her further treatment, I deem it appropriate to recommend the case of the victim to the Member Secretary, J&K Legal Service Authority to award the maximum compensation to the victim in terms of the J&K Victim Compensation Scheme, 2019, of course subject to the adjustment of the interim compensation already paid to her under the scheme,” the court said.
The quantum of punishment was announced after Principal Sessions Judge Srinagar, heard special Public Prosecutor and the counsels for both the convicts.
At the time of arguments on the quantum of punishment, the victim, with permission of the court, narrated the struggles and hardships of the trauma which she has undergone ever since the convicts had thrown acid on her.
She stated that she was a bright student, topper in the class and had chosen her career in the field of law but the horrific act of the convicts shattered all her hopes and dreams. She said this lifelong trauma is not only for her but, even for her parents.
She stated that she has undergone 28 surgeries and the duration of every surgery was ranging between 9 hours to 72 hours.
The victim said as on date her father has spent Rs 37,16,508 on her treatment and does not know how much they need for her further treatment.
She stated before the court that though, nothing can bring the glory of her physique back but, if the convicts, responsible for making her life a living hell, are given the maximum punishment prescribed under law, she would feel that justice has been done with her, otherwise apart from living the life with the miseries, she would feel that even the court has not done the complete justice with her. (Agencies)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
