Click to play videoMumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday took a stern view of a lower court awarding a six-month sentence to businessman Alistair Pereira for killing seven people in a hit-and-run accident last year and increased his jail term to three years rigorous imprisonment.
"There can be no reason for any uncalled sympathy in the case," the court said while awarding the sentence. Pereira, 21, was allegedly drunk when in November 2006 he mowed down seven labourers sleeping on a pavement on Carter Road in Mumbai’s Bandra.
Pereira was given three years rigorous imprisonment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, one-year imprisonment for rash and negligent act causing grievous injuries and six months for injuring six other people. As these sentences will run concurrently, Pereira will serve a total of three years in jail.
The legal fraternity welcomed the judgment. "It is much better than the trial court sentence of only six months,” said Y P Singh, a lawyer and former Indian Police Service officer.
The High Court made scathing remarks against all parties in the case. It said the amount of alcohol in Pereira’s blood was sufficient to prove he was under the influence of alcohol.
The court said Pereira is expected have knowledge of law and life in Mumbai and it is a publicly known fact that labourers sleep on the footpath in Mumbai.
The court said the police failed to collect evidence about the consumption of alcohol and the trial court ignored material evidence and made errors in appreciating evidence.
Legal experts say the judgment will impact famous hit-and-run cases across the country. "It is a landmark may will affect the Salman Khan case and the BMW case in Delhi," said Y P Singh.
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