A Sessions court has upheld the conviction and sentence of one-and-a-half years’ imprisonment to a van driver for killing a three-wheeler passenger in a road accident on Moolchand Flyover in 2009.
The victim, his father and brother were travelling to ISBT Kashmere Gate in the three-wheeler. When it reached the flyover, a van coming from the opposite side crashed into the central verge and then hit the three-wheeler, which turned turtle.
Two injured
The driver and two of the passengers sustained grievous injuries, while the third passenger died on the spot. After trial, a Magistrate court held the van driver guilty of causing the death of the passenger by driving his vehicle in a rash and negligent manner.
The van driver later challenged the Magistrate court order before Additional Sessions Judge Suresh Kumar Gupta at the Saket courts. Dismissing his appeal and plea for a lenient punishment, Mr. Gupta said: “One person has lost his life. The appellant was driving [the] offending vehicle... There is a perception in the mind of the offender that they can get away with imprisonment or fine, or they can be released under Probation of Offenders Act.”
“The deterrent punishment is more important in road accident cases so that persons who ply the vehicles on the road must bear in mind that they will have to face serious consequences including conviction and imprisonment in case of fatal accident,” the judge said.
“The appellant cannot claim sympathy... To my mind, there is no ground to take a lenient view,” the judge added.
