Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Singh fined North Delhi resident Sunil Rs 3,000 and released him saying no monetary loss was suffered by the complainant, a dairy owner, due to the theft.
The court had convicted Sunil for the offence of theft under section 379 of the Indian Penal Code.
"No record of previous conviction is alleged against the accused and he has been facing trial since 2002 and has already remained in judicial custody. The complainant did not suffer any loss because of the offence. The interest of justice will be served by imposing monetary fine upon the accused.
"He is sentenced to imprisonment already undergone by him in judicial custody during the investigation/trial of the case alongwith fine of Rs 3,000," the judge said.
The counsel for the convict had sought leniency from the court on the ground that the convict came from a poor family, was the sole earner in his family and had no criminal antecedents.
According to the prosecution, on December 6, 2002, the accused was apprehended while stealing a cylinder from the complainant's dairy, located in North Delhi.
