By IANS
New Delhi: A court here Wednesday sentenced seven
pickpockets to 10 years rigorous imprisonment for committing dacoity in a
running Blueline bus and causing the death of two men in 2002.
Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma also expressed concern over the
growing incidents of pickpocketing in the capital and said the punishment
should be such that it acts as a deterrent.
“This court can take judicial cognisance of a public outcry against acts of
pickpocketing, chain-snatching happening almost on daily basis in different
parts of the national capital region.
“When reported, the police looks the other way for a variety of reasons such
as lack of infrastructure, strenuous deployment in law and order,” the judge
said, refusing to grant any leniency to the convicts.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs.100,000 on Khursheed, who stabbed the
driver of the bus running between Daryaganj and Kashmere Gate here during
the dacoity on Sep 1, 2002. The driver, however, survived.
Three others Satish, Yunus and Pappu Singh, who tried to snatch a bag
containing Rs. 96,000 from two brothers – Sachin and Abhir Shinde – were
also slapped a fine of Rs.75,000.
The brothers, on a business trip here from Maharashtra, had succumbed to
injuries after falling from the running bus.
The gang-leader Charanjit Singh alias Dabbu, who followed the bus in an
auto-rickshaw with Raj Kumar and Wahid were fined Rs.25,000, besides the
prison term after being held guilty of dacoity.