The Supreme Court on Saturday, 23 November, acquitted a retired army officer of murder charges. The officer was accused of killing a boy for plucking fruits from his compound in Chennai.
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Kandaswamy Ramaraj was convicted under Section 302 IPC by the Trial Court and the same was upheld by the Madras High Court, reported Live Law. The former army officer was charged with shooting K Dilson, a boy who resided in a slum colony, near the Old Fort Glacis Officers' Enclave in the heart of Chennai.
He shot Dilson on 3 July 2011, a school holiday as it was a Sunday, when the boy and his friends were plucking fruits inside the Army compound.
The top court noted noted that a domestic help of the army officer had deposed that he was a short-tempered person, and used to chase the boys who used to pick fruits.
Dropping the murder charges against Kandaswamy Ramaraj, the top court observed that there was no calculated intention on his part to commit the murder. It further added that the crime was committed whilst he was deprived of the power of self-control upon sudden provocation by the children.
The judges, however, sentenced the former Army officer to 10 years’ imprisonment and fined him Rs 2 lakh, adding that failure to pay the penalty would extend his term by three years. Following the recovery of the fine, the money should be given to the parents of the child as compensation, the court added.
According to a report by Live Law, the lower court had found him guilty and sentenced him to life for murder and one year of simple imprisonment for other charges. It had also fined him Rs 60,000. The Madras High Court in 2013 upheld the trial court’s order.
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