Over two year after a woman was attacked with acid, a court in Srinagar on Wednesday sentenced the convict to life imprisonment.
On March 4, the Principal Sessions Judge Srinagar, Jawad Ahmed , had convicted Sajid Altaf Sheikh ( Rather) of Buchwara Dalgate after finding him guilty for commission of offence under section 326-A (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Besides the life imprisonment, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 40 lakh on Sheikh.
On February 1, 2022 evening the accused accompanied by the juvenile threw acid on the 24-year-old woman at Hawal area of Srinagar after she allegedly rejected his marriage proposal.
Soon after the attack, police had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case.
“After careful consideration of the submissions made by both the sides and having regard to the nature of the attack, the permanent disfiguration caused to the victim by the use of corrosive substance by the convict and the impact of the disfiguration on the future life of the victim both physical and emotional, I find that the convict does not deserve leniency and no other punishment except the maximum punishment of life imprisonment prescribed under law for his act can do the real and complete justice to the victim. Accordingly, the convict is hereby sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life and fine of Rs 40 lakhs for commission of offence punishable under Section 326-A IPC read with Section 34 IPC,” the Court order read.
“In default of payment of fine, 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 order added.
The court also took into consideration the huge amount the victim has incurred on her treatment and the amount which is required for her further treatment.
According to prosecution, the victim has undergone 23 surgeries and her parents have spent a huge amount on her treatment but, yet her treatment is not complete.
“ 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 order said.
The other accused Mohammad Saleem Kumar, who was also facing trial with convict 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 and sentenced to three months imprisonment.
