ASHOK vs THE STATE

Judgment text excerpt

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Reserved on : 16.12.2025 Pronounced on : 09.01.2026 Uploaded on : 10.01.2026 + CRL.A. 995/2016 ASHOK .....Appellant Through: Mr. Aly Mirza, Advocate (Amicus Curiae, Pro Bono) versus THE STATE .....Respondent Through: Mr. Pradeep Gahalot, APP for State CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANOJ KUMAR OHRI JUDGMENT 1. By way of the present appeal filed under Section 374 Cr.P.C., the appellant seeks to assail the judgment of conviction dated 24.08.2016, whereby he was convicted for the offences punishable under Sections 395/397 IPC, and the order on sentence dated 30.08.2016, whereby he was sentenced to undergo RI for a period of 14 years along with a fine of Rs.10,000/-, in default whereof he would undergo SI for 1 year, for the offence under Section 395 IPC, and further sentenced to undergo RI for a period of 10 years along with a fine of Rs.10,000/-, in default whereof he would undergo SI for 1 year, for the offence under Section 397 IPC. Both sentences were directed to run concurrently and the benefit under Section 428 Cr.P.C. was granted to the appellant. Signature Not Verified CRL.A. 995/2016 Page 1 of Digitally 11 Signed By:NIJAMUDDEEN ANSARI Signing Date:10.01.2026 19:59:35 2. The co-convicts, namely Sikandar, Irshad Ali, and Ekant Bansal had preferred their individual criminal appeals bearing CRL.A. Nos. 951/2016, 1157/2016, and 126/2017 respectively. The first two appeals came to be disposed of by the Coordinate Bench of this Court vide common judgment dated 24.03.2025 by considering the plea of sentence being commuted to the period already undergone by them. The other convict, namely Ekant Bansal, also did not press his appeal on merits and pleaded that his sentence be modified to the period already undergone by him. This Court,