Acid Attack Case: Bombay High Court Frees Convict As He Marries Victim and Donates Skin for Her Plastic Surgery

The Bombay High court set a man on life imprisonment for throwing acid on a woman free as he married the victim. He also intended to donate his skin for the woman's plastic surgery and pay the expense. In December 2013, a sessions court in Khed convicted Anil Patil for throwing acid on the woman and sentenced him to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000. The man was held in the offence under Section 326 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)

According to a report in The Times of India, Anil Patil said they had settled the matter 'amicably' and wanted to lead a 'peaceful life'. Patil moved high court in the case saying it was "a totally disproportionate punishment". He did not challenge the conviction though.

Both Patil and the victim knew each other for a long time. When Patil proposed, she rejected which angered Patil. He then began threatening her and once took the extreme step of flinging acid on her. The victims' friends who witnessed the scene testified later.

The high court found did not find anything wrong with the verdict of guilt and asked the police to confirm if they were married. The prosecutor after checking found out that attacker and victim were married to each other. The High Court then reduced the sentence to the term already undergone and maintained the order of conviction.

Allowing Patil's plea, the High court said, "Not only that. After marriage, the victim is required to take treatment from a plastic surgeon, for which the appellant has undertaken to donate his skin. We find that the appellant and the victim have decided to lead a peaceful life…It is just and necessary that the appellant and the victim be permitted to lead a peaceful life."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2018 10:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).