Chandigarh, January 11
Additional Sessions Judge Jaibir Singh has sentenced Vishal and his wife Pooja to five-year rigorous imprisonment for killing their 25-day-old daughter four years ago at Ram Darbar here. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 12,000 each on the convicts.
A member of the child helpline reported the matter after an anonymous call. The caller had stated that a baby girl had died in a house at Ram Darbar under mysterious circumstances. The body of the baby was exhumed on the directions of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. The post-mortem report revealed the baby had suffered cerebral damage consequent upon blunt force/surface impact, which was sufficient to cause death in ordinary course of nature.
As per the prosecution, the baby was killed in a fit of anger when the couple picked a fight. Hukam Singh, Public Prosecutor, said the convicts be granted an exemplary sentence considering the gravity of the crime.
The counsel for the accused sought leniency stating that Pooja was a physically challenged person.
The court also awarded them two-year RI under Section 201, IPC. Both sentences should run concurrently. The period of custody undergone by the convicts during investigation and trial of the case be set off against the substantive sentence, said the court.
