MARGAO
The South Goa Sessions Court has sentenced a native of Bagawadi, Karnataka, Sidalingapa Basanal to five years of rigorous imprisonment after holding the accused guilty of committing culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Additional Sessions Judge Vincent D’Silva has further directed the convict to pay a fine of Rs 5000 and in default, to undergo simple imprisonment of six months.
The accused was charged by the police for committing the murder of Sharada alias Shanta Ballari, a native of Karnataka, at an open verandah at Pajifond, Margao on October 17, 2018 by strangulating her neck.
“The accused has committed a grave offence, but considering that the accused is a daily wage labourer and had come down to Goa in search of livelihood and that there is no premeditation and there is no other act of cruelty or unusual conduct on the part of the accused, in my view, the sentence of five years rigorous imprisonment and fine of ₹10,000 would meet the ends of justice”, Judge Vincent said.
He added: “In the instant case, the evidence on record clearly shows that the accused, has committed a crime against a mentally retarded lady whom he had made a friendship with and was moving with her after consuming alcohol. The accused was mature enough to understand the implication of the crime committed by him. The act of the accused ensured death of Sharada @ Shanta”.
