The Delhi High Court has reduced the prison sentence of a man convicted of assaulting a sleeping worker in 2002 from five years to three years, ruling that the act lacked the requisite intent for an attempt to murder charge, while observing that physical labourers across the country remain underpaid and neglected by society.
Sentence Modified To Three Years
In a verdict delivered on September 18, Justice Vimal Kumar Yadav altered the conviction of Veer Pal from attempt to murder to voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons. The court held that the evidence on record failed to establish that Pal had the intention or knowledge required to sustain a conviction for attempting to kill the victim.
Consequently, the court scaled down the five-year jail term imposed by the trial court to three years of imprisonment.
Court Notes Plight Of Manual Workers
Addressing the context in which the dispute arose, Justice Yadav observed that individuals engaged in strenuous physical labour throughout the day require undisturbed sleep at night to recover for subsequent duties. The court noted that daily wage earners frequently endure an ongoing cycle of hardship while remaining among the least compensated and most disregarded segments of society.
The court described the situation as a distressing state of affairs, pointing out that domestic society has failed to value and respect manual labour, in contrast to Western nations where physical work receives appropriate compensation and dignity.
Origins Of The Chandni Chowk Altercation
The prosecution’s case stems from an incident on the night of March 17, 2002, at Lajpat Rai market in Chandni Chowk. The victim, Rajinder Kumar, was resting or preparing to sleep in the verandah of the commercial establishment where he was employed.
When noise generated by Pal and his associates disrupted his rest, Kumar asked the group to stop. Angered by the request, Pal pushed Kumar and assaulted him with a rapi, a sharp instrument typically used by cobblers to cut leather. A patrolling police officer witnessed the ensuing disturbance, leading to Kumar being taken to a hospital for treatment and Pal being arrested on an attempt-to-murder charge.
Grounds For Reducing The Sentence
Pal appealed the trial court’s conviction and five-year sentence, submitting that the incident occurred spontaneously without prior planning or premeditation. He further contended that he had delivered only a single blow and had no specific intent to direct his anger toward Kumar.
Upon reviewing the record, the High Court found that the two men had no prior relationship or ongoing feud, noting that Kumar intervened solely because the commotion prevented him from sleeping. Considering that the offense took place more than two decades earlier and that Pal had no documented criminal history prior to or following the incident, the court ruled that modifying the conviction and sentence was warranted.
