Court convicts youth for robbing man, frees him

A Delhi court convicted a youth for poisoning and robbing a man of his belongings in a moving bus and sentenced him to 22 months in jail, the time he had already spent behind bars.
While releasing 26-year-old Nasir, the court noted that he was a first time offender and "deserved an opportunity to reform".
"The convict (Nasir) should be given an opportunity to reform and rehabilitate himself in society and to become a responsible citizen of the state.
"I deem it expedient in the interest of justice to sentence Nasir for the period already undergone by him," Additional Sessions Judge Vinay Kumar Khanna said.

Nasir was held guilty of robbing Delhi resident Satish Kumar of his belongings in a moving bus here after making him eat poison laced biscuits in 2012.
The judge observed that "effort should be made to bring about correction and reformation of the offender instead of resorting to retributive justice."

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on Nasir, who was a chicken vendor, and said that out of the total amount, Rs 15,000 be given to the victim as compensation.
As per the police, Nasir and Satish were travelling by the same bus in the capital on July 24, 2012 when the accused offered biscuits to the victim. Satish became unconscious soon after.

As soon as Satish fell unconscious, Nasir picked up his two bags and tried to jump out of the bus. He, however, was caught by other passengers and handed over to the police, it said. Satish was taken to AIIMS where he gained consciousness the next day.
The police said Nasir had confessed that he had given sedatives-laced biscuits to Satish.
While holding Nasir guilty, the court relied on the testimony of the victim and police officials, saying that they were worthy of credence and sufficed to convict Nasir.
At the time of the sentence, he sought leniency from the court on the ground that he was young and had to look after his aged parents.

Counsel for Nasir submitted that he was repenting for his act and undertook not to commit any such crime in future.
The court released Nasir, noting that he had already spent nearly two years in jail and said "modern criminal jurisprudence recognises that no one is a born criminal and that many crimes are the product of social economic milieu.