The Supreme Court on Monday suspended the life sentence awarded by a trial court in West Bengal to Haldiram Bhujiawala owner Prabhu Shankar Agarwal over an attempt made on the life of a tea-stall owner in 2005.
A Bench, comprising Justices B. Sudershan Reddy and S.S. Nijjar, while suspending the sentence, also directed that Mr. Agarwal be released on bail to the satisfaction of the trial court.
The Bench disposed of the appeal filed by Mr. Agarwal against a judgment of the Calcutta High court refusing to suspend the sentence and grant him bail.
Arguing for the owner of Haldiram Bhujiawala, senior counsel Uday Lalit said the appellant was only tried on the charge of conspiracy to murder.
“He was not even charged with [Section] 307, IPC, [attempt to murder],” counsel argued, saying that Mr. Agarwal was already in possession of a 30 sq.feet-area shop owned by victim Pramod Sharma's uncle Satyanarayan Thakur, to disclaim any motive to harm the two persons.
