A railway employee has been sent to jail for five years by a Delhi court for trying to kill a milk seller after he sought payment of Rs 2,500 from him two decades ago.
Additional Sessions Judge Manoj Jain handed down the jail term to Delhi resident Avtar Singh for stabbing dairy businessman Paramjeet Singh who had gone to the convict's house in 1995 to collect payment for milk supplied to him. Singh has since expired.
"Prosecution has been able to prove its case to the hilt. Avtar Singh is held guilty and convicted for commission of offence under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC," the court said.
It also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on Avtar with a direction that half the amount should be given to the legal heirs of the victim, who died during the pendency of trial.
The court relied on the testimony of the victim and his family members, besides his medical report which revealed he had received grievous injuries as the sword blow had cut his large intestine. It rejected Avtar's contention that there were discrepancies in victim's statements.
"I cannot be oblivious of the fact that injured Paramjeet Singh was in critical condition. He had received serious stab injuries and had been operated upon and, therefore, it's quite possible that he might not have been in a position to give correct narration to the police...," the judge said.
He also noted that absence of independent witnesses could not weaken the prosecution case as "it's a harsh reality that on most occasions, public persons do not come forward."
"They are reluctant in joining such type of investigation. They do not want to come to courts and do not want themselves to be indulged in any litigation moreso when their interest is not at stake."
In 1998, a sessions court had sentenced Avtar to 10 years in jail for the offence, but the high court had allowed his appeal against the judgement and had remanded the case back to the trial court for re-decision.
According to the prosecution, on the evening of April 1, 1995, Paramjeet, along with his brothers and father had visited Avtar's house to collect payment of Rs 2,500 due for the milk sold to him. Avtar refused to pay the amount and after hurling abuses, attacked Paramjeet with a kirpan (sword) in his abdomen, it said.
During trial, Avtar claimed he was falsely implicated and it was victim's father who had taken the sword out to attack him but eventually caused injuries to Paramjeet. The court rejected his claims.
