After awarding the mild sentence to Haryana native Gurjant Singh, Metropolitan Magistrate Navita Kumari also set it off against the eight days term had spent in custody during trial. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 7,000 on him.
As per the latest amendment in the Cr P C, plea bargaining provides for an accused pleading guilty to his alleged offence in exchange of dropping of charges or for recommendation of a lesser sentence by the prosecutor.
During the course of the trial, 29-year-old Singh had pleaded guilty to charges of cheating, forgery and submitting forged documents to obtain a US visa on June 1, 2007.
Seeking leniency, Singh had told the court that he is the sole bread winner in the family and has the responsibility to look after his wife and old parents.
He had also pleaded with the court to consider that he had already served eight days in jail and assured that he will not repeat such a mistake in the future.
The prosecution had submitted to the court that it was willing to settle the matter with the convict and prayed that he be dealt with suitably as per the mutual settlement.
"In view of these facts that the parties have successfully entered into mutually satisfactory disposition, I sentence the accused under section 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using forged documents as genuine) of the Indian Penal Code to imprisonment for the period already undergone by him," the judge said.
