Bhopal, July 6: A remarkable incident has come to the fore from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, where a man pretended to be mentally unstable for an astounding 19 years in order to evade punishment for an alleged murder. Nevertheless, the accused was apprehended when the prosecutor successfully demonstrated in court that he was entirely of sound mind.

According to the reports, the court has handed down a life imprisonment sentence and imposed a fine of Rs 6 lakh on the murder accused, who managed to escape justice by pretending to be mentally unstable. The incident took place during the Lok Sabha elections in 2004 when a disagreement arose between two men who had affiliations with different political parties concerning the act of flag hoisting. In broad daylight, the accused, Nandu, shot and killed Ravindra using a rifle. Due to the accused's association with a powerful family, he attempted to evade punishment by falsely claiming insanity. Pune: Man Fakes Own Death To Avoid Arrest, Runs Out of Luck After CCTV Camera Shows Him Stealing Car; Arrested.

Based on the arguments presented by Special Public Prosecutor Sandeep Jain, Additional Sessions Judge Vivek Kumar of Patan District, Jabalpur, found the accused, Nandu alias Ghanshyam, guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Jharkhand: Chain Snatcher Lands in Hospital After Swallowing Gold Chain in Escape Gone Wrong to Evade Arrest.

The court emphasised that the burden of proving one's mental unsoundness lies with the accused. It stated that it is not lawful to be acquitted of a crime solely on the basis of mental weakness. Allowing such a precedent would enable every criminal to escape punishment by claiming mental instability. The court recognized that it is the solemn duty of the judiciary to analyse the facts and deliver justice without any bias carefully. The fundamental principle of justice is to hold the guilty accountable in society, regardless of their dominance or influence.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 06, 2023 09:25 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).