Karnataka: 81-yr-old convict sentenced to one year free service in assault case

In an assault case, the Karnataka Hight court has reduced sentence of a 81-year-old convict to 3 days and ordered him to render one year free voluntary service at Anganwadi without taking any salary. The ageing convict has no children but has a wife to care of.

Bengaluru : An 81-year-old convict, who was sentenced to two years in the case of assault with weapons, has been handed over a unique sentence. He was ordered to render one year of voluntary free service in an anganwadi by the High Court. At the same time, after seeing his advanced age, the court modified the sentence of two years prison to three days together with service in Anganwadi for one year.

In 2008, the elderly accused Aitappa Naik of Bantwala taluk of Dakshina Kannada district attacked a person with a weapon and injured him. The accused Aitappa was arrested by the police in connection with this case. After that Bantwala trial court sentenced convict Aitappa Naik to 2 years jail and fined of Rs 5000. Questioning this order, Aitappa Naik filed an appeal to Karnataka High court. Justice R. Nataraj who conducted the hearinga, passed the order.

''The petitioner admitted his guilt. He has already served three days of simple imprisonment as ordered by the trial court. Also, he is 81 years old, has no children and has to take care of his aged wife's health. He has accepted that he is ready to do social service. Therefore, the sentence is being modified considering his plea'', the High court said in its order.

''Also, the sentence passed by JMFC and Additional Civil Court of Bantwala, Dakshina Kannada district on 7th June, 2012 will be modified. And the petitioner shall undergo simple imprisonment for three days and shall pay a fine of 10 thousand rupees. In addition, he should serve in the Anganwadi without salary for one year from February 20, 2023,'' the court mentioned in its order.

Appeal by counsel for petitioner: In this case the age of the applicant has to be considered as important. Also convict has no children, Aitappa Naik has to take care of his wife. And he is willing to confess and do community service. Therefore, during the trial, the counsel for the petitioner appealed to the bench that the sentence should be cancelled.