A Delhi court has sentenced a man to three years in jail for the offence of stealing a car a decade ago, observing that proportion between crime and punishment has to be maintained.
The court, while awarding the sentence, for the period already undergone behind bars, to Delhi resident Ibley Hassan, said, “It is the duty of this court, to award proper sentence having regard to nature of offence and the manner in which it was executed or committed… Proportion between crime and punishment is a goal respected in principle.”
The court, while holding Hassan guilty of offence under section 411 (dishonestly possessing stolen property) of the IPC, said he never took the defence that he was not aware that the vehicle was stolen at the time of its recovery from him.
The court also noted that Hassan was facing trial in seven other cases for which he was already in judicial custody.
According to prosecution, a complaint was lodged by one Ranjeet that his relative’s car was parked outside his house on December 31, 2005, and an hour later it was missing.
The car was recovered on January 18, 2006 near Kondli here when the cops on duty spotted it without a number plate, the police said, adding that Hassan, who was found driving it, was arrested, and charge was framed against him by a magisterial court for offence punishable under section 411 of IPC.
Hassan had denied the allegations claiming he was falsely implicated and the case was planted.
The court, however, rejected his contention, saying he failed to point out any motive for his false implication.
“The argument of the accused that the recovery is planted is without merits, as the recovery is not of a small article which may be easily available in the market so as to plant the same on the accused. The recovery is of a Santro car which is duly registered,” it said.
