Factory owner fined Rs 2000 as labourer lost hand in mishap

Metropolitan Magistrate Jagminder Singh showed leniency to factory owner Hanuman Prasad saying that it wanted to give him a chance to reform himself as he was a poor person and had apologised for his guilt.

"In view of the argument of both the parties and in view of the facts and circumstances of the case, the court comes to the conclusion that the convict is a poor person and has apologised for his guilt, therefore, in view of the reformative theories of punishment, a lenient view is taken against convicts.

"The convict is sentenced with a fine of Rs 1,000 for the offence under section 287 IPC (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and he is sentenced with fine of Rs 1,000 along with simple imprisonment till rising of the court for the offence under section 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) IPC in case," the court said.

The complainant Kundan Kumar had told the court that he was working as a labour in 'Gulab Factory' of Hanuman Prasad.

He said that in 2005 Prasad had compelled him to run a machine and work on it despite knowing that he did not know how to run it, following which his left hand was "stuck and cut down in the machine".

Prasad had earlier claimed innocence but during the stage of evidence, he accepted his guilt and sought a lenient punishment saying he had compensated the victim and had also paid for his medical treatment.