High Court trims 2 life sentences of man in 2015 acid attack case

Soumyadip Mullick30, MP, Dec 2024, Kolkata: Observing that the accused did not have any criminal antecedents and there is a possibility of his reformation, Calcutta High Court reduced the life sentences on two counts in a case where a young woman was subjected to acid attack, sustaining over 45 per cent burn injuries. 

The bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Gaurang Kanth was moved by the accused (appellant) challenging the trial court order and judgement awarding him life sentence on both counts i.e Sections 326A/307 IPC. 

The accused allegedly used to give indecent proposals and disturb the victim. On September 15, 2015 she was returning from college by bus. The accused asked her to deboard at a point which she refused. 

When the bus stopped at the point she was asked to disembark, the accused boarded the bus and threatened her. 

When she got down from the bus at NBSTC Bus Stand, Alipurduar and was walking towards her residence, the accused blocked her way and hurled acid at her from a glass bottle and ran away. 

During the investigation, he was arrested and the glass bottle was recovered. His counsel submitted that none in the bus testified he accosted her in the bus, medical report with regard to acid burn injuries was not proved and recovery of the bottle is also doubtful. 

The injury report showed acid burn injuries to the extent of 45 per cent in total area, including her face, hands and portions of the upper body. 

A medical board was constituted for her treatment. She was also referred to SSKM Hospital. The shopkeeper who sold the bottle to the accused testified and so did witnesses who saw him hurling the acid at the girl. Forensic report showed the presence of sulphuric acid in the bottle. 

The court observed that though the offence is a grave one, appellant does not have criminal antecedents. Since the accused is aged around 25 years, there is possibility of his reformation. Both the life sentences were trimmed to fourteen years. However, other sentences remained unaltered. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/high-court-trims-2-life-sentences-of-man-in-2015-acid-attack-case-592678