BANGALORE: The kindness of the court was such that these convicts were sentenced to a whole day in the court.
Daily wagers Bettaiah, Nagamma, Mahalaxmi and Bettamma, residents of Thalekere village, Pandavapura Taluk spent all of Tuesday in a court hall at the High Court - till its closing hours at 4.45 pm.It made for a one-of-its-kind sentence as the division bench headed by Justice S R Bannurmath took note of the economic condition of the four persons accused while pronouncing the order. The bench however observed that it shall not be a precedent for any future cases and also imposed a fine of Rs 500 on each of the accused. In March 2004, a lower court had found the four guilty of an offence under Indian Penal Code (IPC) 326 (assault). They were charged with assaulting their relatives Javaramma and Bettaiah in Thalekere village in May 2002. The Pandavapura Court had imposed a fine of Rs 300 on each of the accused. The government had challenged the same in the High Court. As per Section 326 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) the four were to receive a minimum sentence of three months in jail. But the mercy of the court prevailed.