Woman, detained for begging, let off

Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Kumar Jain freed Haryana native Agya Rani, modifying her sentence and saying that she had been in detention since June 22 and it was "a sufficient period to make her learn a lesson."

"The appellant (Agya) is duly admonished for the act of begging and it is further directed that on her release from the detention in the certified institution, she will furnish bond in a sum of Rs 200 within a week and as undertaking to the satisfaction of the magistrate that she would not engage herself in similar activity in future," the court said.

The convict has moved the sessions court against the June 22, 2012 decision of the magisterial court, which had held her guilty under section 5 (5) of the Bombay Beggary Prevention Act, 1959, and had sentenced her to detention.

Agya was found begging at a traffic intersection on Lodhi Road here.

The sessions court released her taking note of her counsel's submission that she was forced to beg as she is a married and uneducated woman with no relative to support.