Taking the view that public outcry over major crime cases cannot be ignored, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday said it wanted to know from the prosecution if this factor could be considered while deciding the quantum of sentence. The court was hearing the arguments for deciding the quantum of sentence for Santosh Mane, a former State Transport driver who went on the rampage with a hijacked bus in Pune in January 2012. His reckless act killed nine persons and injured 35.
“Public outcry is one of the factors the court has to take into consideration. The Nirbhaya rape case is a classic example. There was unprecedented reaction from the country. There was a similar outcry in the Shakti Mills case. The impact of a crime on society has to be considered,” the Division Bench of Justices V.M. Kanade and P.D. Kode asked.
The matter was posted for further hearing on Wednesday.
