Threat calls to senior lawyer: court convicts accused

A man, facing trial in connection with a case relating to extending threats to senior advocate Siddharth Luthra who is now an Additional Solicitor General, has been convicted and sentenced to three-year jail by a Delhi court.
Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash sentenced Pintoo Mandal to three-year jail, the period already undergone by him during the pendency of the trial, after he pleaded guilty of the offences under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under the provisions of the Arms Act.
Mandal, along with six other accused, was facing trial in the case in which Luthra had received threat calls in 2009.

According to the police, Luthra, who was representing BJP MP Varun Gandhi in an alleged hate speech case at that time, received threat calls in June and July 2009.
Regarding Mandal, the police had alleged that he was part of the conspiracy and procured weapons and also conducted a recee to carry out the attack on the senior counsel.
During the trial Mandal, who was represented by legal aid counsel Asim Ali, filed an application for pleading guilty of the offences.
"Keeping in view the plea of guilt by accused...., Pintoo Mandal is held guilty for offence punishable under section 120-B IPC and 25/54/59 Arms Act," the court said.

The court sentenced him to the period already undergone by him in custody keeping in view his economic status.