Showing leniency to Vijay Jadhav (27), who shot at his father-in-law with a country-made shotgun since the latter did not allow his wife to accompany him to his village, the Bombay high court has reduced his sentence from 10 to five years.
The sessions judge has convicted Jadhav to 10 years imprisonment for attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and under the Arms Act.
Aniket Vagal, Jadhav’s advocate, said they did not contest the appeal on merit but wanted to argue on the quantum of sentence awarded to Jadhav since it was excessive.
Jadhav married Mangal, a resident of Pimpli Khurd. He was working as a peon in a school at Wahal.
During the summer vacation of 2003, Mangal went to her parents’ home. On May 11, 2003, Jadhav asked Mangal to accompany him back to Wahal. However, Shankar, Mangal’s father, asked him to let Mangal stay for few more days. There was a verbal dispute between the two. However, Jadhav stayed over.
Next morning Jadhav borrowed Rs100 from his mother-in-law and left the house. He returned at 7pm and asked Mangal to pack her bags and left again. He returned at 11pm with a country-made shotgun and a battery. Jadhav threatened his father-in-law and fired at him. Three pellets from the shotgun hit Shankar’s right shoulder. Jadhav also fired at Shankar’s father-in-law, Babu Nikam, who tried to intervene. Jadhav fled and Shankar and Nikam were taken to hospital for treatment. He was arrested on May 14, 2003. The sessions court had sentenced Jadhav to five years’ imprisonment for possessing arms.
Reducing the sentence, Justice JH Bhatia observed that the maximum sentence that could be awarded to Jadhav under the Arms Act for possession of a country-ade shotgun was three years. Medical reports showed that Shankar’s and Nikam’s injuries were not deep.
The court observed: “Taking into consideration the nature of weapon, the possibility of causing death was negligible.”
Jadhav has spent nearly five years in jail, hence the high court asked the jail authorities to set him free unless required in any other case.
