A 22-year-old youth, who was held guilty of grievously injuring his neighbour by stabbing him with a knife, has been released on probation by a Delhi court which granted him an opportunity to reform and rehabilitate.
Additional Sessions Judge V K Khanna, while granting relief to Nandu Gupta, a resident of south Delhi, relied on the probation officer's report that the youth's behaviour during the trial was good and he deserved a chance to reform.
"Considering the report of the probation officer as well as the totality of facts and circumstances, this court is of the considered view that Nandu should be given an opportunity to reform and rehabilitate himself in the society and become a responsible citizen of the State.
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"Therefore, it is deemed expedient in the interest of justice to release him on probation instead of sentencing him," the judge said.
The court directed Nandu to pay a compensation of Rs30,000 to injured Deepak Pandey and Rs 5,000 to the State and added that he shall remain under the supervision of the probation officer for two years.
According to the prosecution, on November 10, 2012, a quarrel took place in Sangam Vihar after which Nandu and his juvenile accomplice stabbed Deepak and ran away from the spot after leaving him in an unconscious condition.
Deepak's brother Manoj told the police that both the boys chased the victim and Nandu stabbed him while the juvenile beat him up. Deepak was rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre by a police van while the boys fled, it added.
Nandu was arrested the next day for the offence of attempt to murder under section 307 of the IPC.
The court, however, diluted the charge of attempt to murder and convicted him for the offence under section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the IPC.
"Factual matrix considered as a whole indicates no intention to cause death of Deepak or intention to cause such bodily injury to him which was likely to cause his death," the court said, while adding that the medical report of Deepak failed to explain that the injury was life threatening.
Nandu, in his defence, submitted that he was falsely implicated and brought two eye witnesses who stated that Deepak was under the influence of alcohol when he got in a quarrel with Nandu and the juvenile.
Seeking leniency from the court, Nandu said he had already spent three months in jail and was a first time offender.
