Click to play videoNew Delhi: A Delhi court has reserved its order on the quantum of sentence to be given to businessman Sanjeev Nanda, the accused in the high-profile BMW hi-and-run case. The sentence will be delivered on Friday.
Twenty nine-year-old Nanda is grandson of a former Navy chief and heir to one of the richest families in India. He has been convicted of culpable homicide.
Nanda has been convicted for mowing down six people including four policemen on January 10 1999 policemen with his luxury BMW car on January 10, 1999 in Lodhi Colony of south Delhi. He was allegedly drunk at the time.
The frustration was evident in Nanda's lawyers post the verdict, as the arguments on the quantum of punishment in the BMW case began.
"The media went to town yesterday saying "justice is not for sale". We have to decide if this is trial by the media or trial in the court," said Nanda's counsel, Ramesh Gupta.
The prosecution has demanded the maximum sentence for Nanda -10 years imprisonment.
Public prosecutor Rajeev Mohan began by quoting Tuesday's verdict where the court came down heavily on the accused for trying to influence the trial.
Mohan said in court, Even the Supreme Court has come down heavily on people who have tried to pollute the criminal justice system. The accused should be given a punishment which proves to be a deterrent for others.
The defence on the other hand, called for a lesser sentence, citing a Supreme Court judgement which says, leniency must be shown to accused who were less than 21 years of age at the time of the offence.
"Since Nanda was less than 21 years of age at the time of the offence, he should be dealt with leniently," said defence lawyer, Prem Kumar.
The court also held the other accused, businessman Rajeev Gupta and his two servants Bhola Nath and Shyam Singh guilty, for trying to destroy evidence by washing blood marks and human flesh off the BMW on January 10 1999.
Lawyers for the three pleaded that they should not be punished for obeying their masters.
Nanda will have to spend two more days in prison before the sentence is delivered. It will be clear only on September 5, if defence lawyers manage a lenient term for Nanda or he gets the maximum sentence of 10 years.
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