Court acquits murder convict

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Tuesday acquitted a convict in a murder case, saying he was a juvenile on the date the crime was committed in 2000.

A division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice V.K. Jain quashed Sanjeev’s sentence after taking into account the age mentioned in his school-leaving certificate.

“The appellant, although he is to be regarded as a juvenile under the said Juvenile Justice Act, has not undergone the maximum period of three years’ sentence,” the court said.

“However, the appellant has already undergone a sentence for almost a period of two years. We have also examined the impugned judgment and we find that the role ascribed to the appellant is only of catching hold of the deceased and no injury is said to have been caused by him,” the bench observed.

The court had earlier acquitted Sanjeev’s co-accused, Sundar, in the case on the ground that he had already served a term of more than three years which was the maximum period for which a juvenile could be sent to a special home under the act.

“The appellant is now about 28 years old, it would not be appropriate to send him to a special home and to keep him in the company of juveniles,” the court said.

“We feel that it would be in the interest of justice that he is directed to be released forthwith, provided that he is not required in any other case,” the bench said.