Stern sentence should be imposed on drunk drivers: Delhi court

The judge said a stern sentence to offenders would go a long way in making the roads safer

The menace of drunken driving has increased alarmingly and severe sentence should be imposed to curb the offence, a Delhi court has observed while noting that the convict has to undergo a jail term.

"The menace of drunken driving has assumed alarming proportions and one of the ways to curb it is by imposing severe sentence on such offenders," Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhatt said.

The judge said a stern sentence to these offenders would go a long way in making the roads safer, thereby saving precious human lives.

"It won't be inappropriate to say that a drunken driver is like a suicide bomber, who has set out to kill himself as well as the others and thus deserves a very stern sentence which should have a deterrent effect," the judge said.

The court's observation came on an appeal filed by a man guilty of drunken driving who was jailed for 15 days by a magisterial court.

The court, however, reduced his jail term to five days, accepting his contention that the imprisonment would leave an indelible scar on his life and jeopardise his career.

"I am of the opinion that the sentence of imprisonment imposed upon the appellant is in no way harsh or unwarranted. However, having regard to the submissions made by counsel for appellant, the period of sentence of imprisonment is reduced from 15 days to 5 days," the judge said.

The court also observed that, had the traffic police not stopped him, there would have certainly been a "horrible tragedy".

"A drunken driver cannot take rational and spontaneous decisions while driving. Excessive consumption of alcohol blurrs one's vision and intensely impairs the ability to judge things on the road. A drunken driver risks not only his own life but also that of other motorists and the pedestrians," it said.

The convict, a south Delhi resident, had challenged the order of a magisterial court which had on December 12, 2015 sentenced him to simple imprisonment for 15 days along with a fine while holding that he was guilty of having driven in a heavily drunk condition under provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act.

The convict had already paid the fine, but had challenged the jail term.